The Thirteenth Order
by TotalDramaKingdomHearts
Summary: The Organization XIII is in control of the Dark City, and the Thirteenth Order wants it back. Apps are closed for the Thirteenth Order, but if you still want to submit an OC, I'll try to work them in somehow.
1. Prologue: Number I

(Unknown's POV)

I stood on one of the many buildings of the Dark City, waiting for him to show up. My features were perfectly hidden under a silver coat, one that symbolizes my affiliation with a terrorist group rebelling against the government. In my hand I held a single green spear – on one side there was a spade that ended with a sharp point, and on the other end was an arrow protruding from the spear. I had been standing atop this building for hours, waiting for the red-haired man to show up. And he would be coming soon. I could feel it.

As if my gut had predicted the future, I soon heard the footsteps, and within seconds the red-haired man appeared. He wore a coat matching mine, except his was black where mine was silver, and vice versa. He had spiky red hair and green tear marks underneath his eyes. In each gloved hand he held a weapon known as a Chakram. The red hair reflected something about the man – his power over fire.

And his name was Axel.

"Axel!" I screamed, jumping down from the building.

Axel turned and faced me. He scoffed. "Well, it's Aredek! Aren't you with that Thirteenth Order thing?"

That was my terrorist group, the Thirteenth Order. I formed it to free Dark City from the dictatorship of Organization XIII. "So what? We're going to free Dark City from your grasps."

Axel laughed. "Good luck with that! The Organization has so much more power than you fools – got it memorized?"

"Yes, I memorized the fact that you're wrong! We know all about the Organization, and are preparing to take it down… Lea."

Axel was taken aback. "What? Why'd you call me that? And never mind, you know nothing!"

"Your name: Axel. Original name: Lea. Home World: Radiant Garden. Weapon of choice: Chakram. Element: Fire."

Axel was mildly impressed. "So, you know something –"

"Was turned into a Nobody at the same time as your best friend Isa, A.K.A. Saïx. The two of you were best friends, but once Roxas joined the group, your friendship took a back seat to your friendship with the Keyblade wielder. You and Saïx had a plan to take over, but the splitting of your friendship caused the plan to fail."

"How do you know so much?"

I raised my spear. "Why don't you find out?"

Axel seemed to contemplate fighting me for a moment. "Sorry, Aredek – or, should I say, Derek."

"NO! I abandoned that name when I vowed to protect the Dark City from you dictators!"

Axel laughed as he began to walk away. "Sorry, Derek, but you and your Thirteenth Order can't stop us from achieving our goals. No one can."

And I just watched as he walked away. Then I too turned and hurried back on my way to the headquarters of the Thirteenth Order.

* * *

All right, this was just a short introduction to the story. The other members of the Thirteenth Order are going to be OC's submitted in a format like this: (this is how I filled in mine)

Name: Aredek

Original Name: Derek

Weapon of choice: Spear (pointed spade on one side and arrow on the other)

Element: Wind

Back-story: After Organization XIII took over Dark City, Aredek was sent into hiding while the Nobodies captured his parents. He abandoned his name and severed all ties to the past, making a new name for himself and vowing to liberate the Dark City.

Reason for joining: To avenge the capture of his parents and liberate the Dark City.

Personality: Very begrudging and doesn't trust others much. Emotionally scarred from watching his parents be captured and slightly paranoid from fear. Loyal, almost to a fault, to his cause, and would lay down his own life to free Dark City and finish Organization XIII.

Fighting Style: Prefers to keep enemies at range using wind-based assaults, but when the time comes to close combat, he uses years of practice to fight with his spear. When low on strength, will try to use a Limit known as 'Tornado Assault' where numerous strong gusts of wind shoot out from him. In another desperate attack he can jam the arrow side of his spear into the ground and emit wind from it.

Organization XIII Nemesis (and why): Axel, because Axel was the leader of the squadron of Nobodies that captured his parents. The two have met up several times in the past, none ending well due to Axel's constant mockery of Aredek and Aredek's fierce determination.

Here is the format for people to fill out:

**Name (anagram of original name with A in it):**

**Original Name:**

**Weapon of choice (and description):**

**Element (creativity welcomed):**

**Reason for joining:**

**Personality:**

**Fighting Style (Includes abilities, Limits, etc.):**

**Organization XIII Nemesis (and why):**

All members come from the Dark City. If anyone has any questions, please PM me. If your character makes it in, I will PM you shortly before publishing the chapter to the site.

**Please submit your OC's!**


	2. Number II

(Aredek's POV)

I did what I always did when I was stressed – run around the Dark City. Whenever a Nobody came up to ask me for identification, I took a sick pleasure in killing it and watching it fade away. The headquarters of the Thirteenth Order weren't always such a good place to be sometimes, so it almost came as a relief to be able to run down the streets. But than I noticed something atop a building – or should I say, someone. Number II.

"SLAY!" I called.

(Slay's POV)

Before I tell you what is happening now, I think you should know what has happened previously. I was a normal girl, always intelligent, calm – and at the library. There I met Zexion, and the two of us formed a friendly rivalry. We always raced to finish books and test wits against each other. But than one day Organization XIII took over. I discovered than that Zexion was a member of the dictatorship, and as you can imagine, our friendly rivalry took a – very – sharp turn for the worst. I was one of the citizens of the Dark City save and brought to the freedom camps. By some coincidence I ended up in the same camp as a boy around my age named Derek. One day he changed his name to Aredek and vowed to liberate the city. He promised that he'd form a terrorist group, the Thirteenth Order, to rise from the ashes and destroy Organization XIII. I joined his ranks as Number II, discarding my previous name of Lys and adopting the name Slay. Aredek told me once that the A and the rearranging of our names is something of a reference to how the Organization does the same thing, except with X. After fighting alongside him for sometime, I formed my own guild where several other free citizens live and train. On occasion, the guild and I will assist Aredek and the Order in their plans and missions.

It is a good thing that I have been honing my skills. I fight using a massive two-sided sword with a sun design on the blade and two lightning bolts on the sides. I am always looking for the heaviest sword, and when I have not fully broken into one, I fight with martial arts, something I am also very proficient at.

I have taken to running around the Dark City, fighting the Nobodies while wearing a blindfold. I have come into contact with Zexion twice recently. The first time I tried to kill him. The second time he nearly killed me.

I was very angry as I raced atop buildings because of my former friend. But my thoughts were interrupted when I heard someone yell, "SLAY!"

I raised my sword and turned around just in time to see Aredek come up next to me. He smiled. "It's been a while, Slay."

I nodded. He looked relatively the same, but the cloak that he wore, one identical to my own, was slightly more ripped and burned. "It has been, Number I. I hope that you have been well; the state of you cloak does not exactly make me feel good."

Aredek shrugged it off. "I'm fine, Slay. Ran into Axel quite a few times. I could read his face, Slay. I think that they're planning something big."

I let this idea slip in. Ever since their conquest of the Dark City, they hadn't really done much, sticking to their own plans and assignments. To think that they would launch some sort of assault, or have some sort of a plan regarding, the Dark City seemed preposterous. But my mind was very rational and flexible, as was my body.

"If you say that they're planning something, I have no reason not to believe you."

Aredek smiled. "All right. Cool. I'll see you at HQ with the others later, okay?"

I nodded. "I'll be there."

And than Aredek jumped down and was gone, slashing a few Dusks with his spear while rounding a corner. I was about to do much the same when I heard that voice coming from behind me.

"Touching scene, isn't it, Lys?"

I turned around slowly, and there he was. Zexion.

I raised my sword. "If you're here for a fight, Zexion, than you've come to the right place."

Zexion scoffed. "Me? Fight once more, and dirty my hands again? Doubtful. Do you not remember the outcome of the last duel we had?"

I stayed calm. "Yes, Zexion, I do. And I would like a chance to avenge myself for my previous defeat."

Zexion laughed. "Not with me you won't, Lys! I just came here to deliver a message from the Superior."

I was taken aback. "What is it?"

"He says that resistance is futile and the only hope of survival is to surrender."

"How does this pertain to me, exactly?"

"He knew that you'd tell Aredek. Because the Superior does not wish for more bloodshed. But if your terrorist group, the Thirteenth Order, continues to try and assault us, than you all shall pay the ultimate price."

And than suddenly he was gone, as if he had disappeared into thin air. _Or maybe it was all just an illusion_, I thought. _They are his specialty_.

To try and let off some steam, I did what I always did. I ran around the Dark City. And took out my anger by preteneding that every Nobody I killed was Zexion.

**Slay was created by Silver and Gold Angels**


	3. Number III

**(Aredek's POV)**

After meeting up with Slay, I continued running around the Dark City. As I ran past a side street, I saw something disturbing. In fact, it was something very troubling. I turned back and ran down the side street that I had just passed. I had just seen someone in a silver cloak running down this way, and this way let to the Castle That Never Was. The headquarters of the Nobodies. I was pretty sure whom it was running down this path, so as I went after them, I cried out, "ALAY!"

**(Alay's POV)**

I was running down a side street with my voodoo doll in my hand, hoping to encounter one of the members of the Organization. It was towards the time that they usually showed up after their missions, and I wanted a fight. I moved stealthily, as I always did, because I had unwelcomingly encountered some of them in the past. I had left headquarters when they started picking on me, and fighting was going to help me calm down. Another part of me wanted to see the Organization so I could fight them and defeat them, and be one step closer to freeing the Dark City. One step closer to everything going back to the way it was before they took over.

My original name is Aly. Like many other things, I keep it a secret, because I am no longer Aly. I am Alay. I abandoned that name when the Organization took over. Before all of the chaos caused by the Organization, I had two friends, Marluxia and Larxene. We had been inseparable. But one day, a week before the invasion, Marluxia and Larxene told me that they had to go away. They said that they were planning something, but they'd be back soon. I wished them good luck in whatever they were planning and waited until the day that they would return.

Which was the worst day I can ever remember. That day, the legions of Nobodies swarmed upon the Dark City, taking it over. I fought my way out of capture using my mind, the strongest weapon that anyone can have. My trusted voodoo doll also came in handy. Amiss the fighting and chaos, I saw Larxene. I spoke with her briefly, and she revealed that she was part of the group taking over the city. She also claimed that Marluxia was, as well. And that stung me, knowing that not only had Larxene betrayed me, but Marluxia had as well. I fought with her briefly, but the battle ended as the streets began to crowd. I managed to escape.

Along with the other escapees, I was moved to a freedom camp. Some time after arriving there, two inspirational speakers came to the camp. They introduced themselves as Aredek and Slay, and at first I thought that they were weird because of the silver cloaks that they wore. But than I heard what they had to say.

They spoke about how the Organization could not remain in power forever. They spoke about how we had to rise from the ashes and fight against them. Aredek promised that a terrorist group would rise and bring the Organization to their knees – defeat the Organization and free the Dark City. They really inspired everyone, and I could tell that this guy meant it. Before they left, I requested to join his group. And than I was given the silver cloak and my new name.

Marluxia and Larxene aside, my greatest foe is Xemnas, the leader of the Organization. It is his fault that the Dark City is the way it is, and he will pay for that. The only time I ever met the Superior I was so wounded that I was unconscious for a week, and than had to rejuvenate my injuries for another eight days. But that didn't dampen my spirit to defeat them once and for all.

And now, here I am, running through the side streets leading up to the Castle That Never Was. I slowly began to notice that it was stupid to charge into the headquarters of the Organization. Just as I was about to turn back, I heard a voice that filled me with rage, and at the very same time inspired absolute fear into me. "Turn back now, for I have no need to spill blood."

It was Xemnas. The last time I had encountered him, the only reason I had survived was because my friends had been with me. But now I was all alone. I cradled my doll in my hands and said, "Than stop this reign of terror."

Xemnas laughed, a sound so unnatural I was tempted to run away and cower behind a rock. But I wasn't going to back down easily. "Little girl, do you not recall the last time we matched skills on the battlefield? Your friends were there that time. This time, they are not."

I rasied the voodoo doll at him and it turned into a plushy version of my personal nemesis. "That doesn't scare me."

Xemnas summoned his Ethereal Blades. "It should. It should very much. We have taken over; we have won. And yet your terrorist group just can't seem to move on."

Just as I was sure a fight was about to ensure, I heard a voice call, "ALAY!"

Just for a second a new expression crossed his face. It wasn't a look of haughtiness, of power, of supreme dignity. It was fear. Just for a split second the leader of the Organization was generally afraid. And I could understand why.

He waved his blades away. "Little girl, it seems like our duel has been interrupted. I will come back for you. Just wait." He faded away than, a sneer on his lips.

God, how I hated that man. I am usually a very nice, quiet girl. But he just causes a rage in me.

Turning around I saw Aredek running towards me. "Alay! Let's get out of here!"

The fear and the anger that Xemnas caused in me finally struck. I started tearing up. "Aredek… He was here."

Aredek understood immediately. He was the leader of the Thirteenth Order, and as such, he cared about all of us deeply. He understood that the only person that could cause me to start crying like this was Xemnas. He said, in a soothing tone, "It'll be all right, Alay. Xemnas is gone now. Let's go back to headquarters now, please. Away from this castle." He smiled and said, "Slay's coming."

That brightened me up, somewhat. Slay and I had always been very close, and I hadn't seen her in a while. "Okay, I'll go back. Let's get going."

He shook his head. "I've got some training to do. Go back now, and tell them I'll be there shortly."

I didn't get time to question what training he had to do, because he ran off than. I did much the same thing, quite eager to escape the horrible place I was near.

**Alay was created by Org. XIII 4 Ever**


	4. Number XI

**(Aredek's POV)**

I had already encountered Slay and Alay, and hoped that the other two would be around here somewhere as well. Turning a corner, I found several Berserker Nobodies facing me. I raised my spear and started to attack them. The first two went down fast enough, but the Claymore of the third swept me off my feet. It leapt into the air and was about to strike me, a girl quickly sliced the Berserker in half with her fighting fans. She than turned towards me and helped me get to my feet. "Selena," I said, half grinning.

**(Selena's POV)**

Before you can hear about me meeting up with Aredek, I think it would be fair to provide an accurate back story to myself.

I used to be a happy girl named Lenes. I was very loud and loved to have fun. I had a beautiful family – parents, an older sister, an older brother, and my younger toddler brother. But everything changed that one fateful day.

I had known something was wrong that day, even if I didn't know what. I'd been hearing the explosions and cries all day. But it didn't really bother me until I heard the loud sound from downstairs. Quickly I ran down the stairs to the most horrible and disturbing sight I will ever see. It still gives me nightmares to this very day. As I descended those stairs, there was a swarm of Nobodies in my house, and they had my family. I wasn't sure what was happening until the Nobodies killed my parents. I just stared, not being able to register the sight of seeing them dead. My older siblings screamed and tried to free themselves from the Nobodies' grasp, but they too were killed, in cold blood, right in front of my toddler brother and me. I screamed and began attacking with my fighting fans, trying valiantly to get to my brother, the only family I had left. Tears swelled as I fought with the Nobodies, and my brother was crying hysterically. As I was disarming a Samurai Nobody the crying stopped abruptly and I knew what must have happened. They had killed him as well.

Using my telekinesis and my fans, I fought in a terrible rage until I had killed every one of the Nobodies. Not a single one escaped. And as I turned away from the still bodies of my family, I looked out the window of my home and saw him standing outside just watching as my life and family was ripped apart. He had held this glossy look in his eyes as if it happened everyday, as if he was just a casual person at a park.

I ran out of my house and started jabbing his pressure points. He was surprised, but wasn't very much fazed by my attack. He than summoned his scythe and started attacking me. I knew that I couldn't defeat an enemy like that, so I fled. But I swore to him as I fled that I would get revenge, that he would pay for attacking my city, for killing my family.

I later learned that his name was Marluxia. And I made another vow that I would kill him personally.

About a month after the initial attack, I was still hiding in the Dark City, occasionally assaulting Nobodies when the odds were in my favor. When people had been drawn to freedom camps, I refused to leave the city, and so I didn't. Eventually I came across a young man in a sliver cloak. I thought that he, too, was with the Nobodies, like the black cloaked man from the attack. But he wasn't. For one, after defeating me, he didn't kill me.

For two, he offered me a position in his terrorist group to overthrow the Organization. That day, Lenes was no more. That day, Selena was born.

Ever since than I fought as a member of the Thirteenth Order, doing my best to overthrow the Organization. On two missions I caught glimpses of Marluxia. Three times I met him on my own. The first time, I yelled at him before he left me. The second time, I tried attacking him, but I soon fled, fearing I was outmatched. The third time, I attacked him again, and the odds were in my favor before he stopped holding back. After he decided I was injured enough, he let me leave with my life. And I renewed my vow to kill him.

Now, I was helping Aredek, leader of the Thirteenth Order, to his feet. I returned his half grin, saying, "Be careful next time, okay?"

He smiled. "Sure thing, Seleven." Seleven was the nickname he had given me, because, you know, my new name was Selena, and my number was eleven.

"Why are you just running around?" I asked him.

"I was training, you know. Honest truth."

"You saw Axel."

He nodded. "Yeah. And Selena, you might want to get back to headquarters fast."

I was typically a quiet girl, and as such, I didn't usually question orders. "Okay, Aredek."

As I started to go, he just stood there. "Aren't you coming, too?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Nope. Just one more member I need to bring back."

"And all the others are home?"

"Yeah. I won't be long."

And I started to head back than. I ran past all of the streets nimbly, but than I started to feel tense. I started to smell… roses. I tensed. Roses were a sign of Marluxia.

I quickly turned around, expecting him to be right there. When he wasn't, I let out a sigh of relief. But than I heard a voice from behind me say, "What are you looking for, Selena?"

Most people would've slowly turned around and faced their arch enemy. Unfortunately for Marluxia, I was not one of them. Without even blinking an eyelash, I quickly turned around and swung with my fighting fans.

But Marluxia was no longer there. "What?" I asked in disbelief. I ducked my head to see if somehow he was hidden somewhere I couldn't see standing up, and as I did, he swung his scythe over my head, once more from behind me.

"AH!" I screamed, finally coming face to face with the Graceful Assassin.

Marluxia grinned. "Are you not happy to see me?"

I lashed out at hi again, and he sighed. "Looks like you haven't. And I wasn't even here for a fight."

I gritted my teeth as I stared at the man I hated with every burning fiber in my body. "Than why the hell are you here!"

He smiled. "To deliver a message. The message is that if you don't want to end up like your family you will stop resisting immediately."

I was stung that he had the absolute audacity to mention my family in front of me, but as soon as I was about to attack him once more, he disappeared. And I continued on my way to headquarters.

**Selena was created by skylena**


	5. Number VI

**(Aredek's POV)**

I knew where he would be. Where he always was. But when I reached the boarded up building, he was nowhere to be found. Just as I was about to call his name out, an arrow with a blood red asterisk on it notched itself into one of the boards in front of me. I smiled, because someone with a fierce loyalty had just arrived on the scene – someone as devoted to taking down the Organization as, perhaps, anyone I have ever met. I turned around and waved, saying, "Alroc."

**(Alroc's POV)**

The scene is twelve years ago. A young man, Clor, hugs his twin brother, Braig, goodbye. Clor tells his brother to be very careful on his journey and to not get himself killed in an experiment. Braig smiles and says that he'll miss his brother. Braig starts walking away, turning around once to smile and wave at his brother one last time.

The scene is ten years ago. Clor has taken up archery, using arrows, a bow, and a quiver with blood red asterisks on them. Clor has also developed powers with the element of moonlight.

The scene is five years ago. Clor was now a guard of Dark City, working to protect not only the city but also its inhabitants. A strange man appears to Clor and introduces himself as Braig, his brother. Clor at first doesn't believe him, saying that he looks nothing like Braig. Braig tells him that he had lost his heart and was turned into a Nobody, and now went by the name Xigbar. Clor eventually recognizes Xigbar as his brother and asks him why he stopped by. Xigbar grins and says he just wanted to get another look at the area after so many years.

The scene is two years ago. Clor was at the outskirts of the Dark City, and he heard many cries and other sounds of battles coming from the inner parts of the city. Clor abandons his post and jumps into the fray, attacking the mysterious, strange creatures in white. But Clor is shocked to see that Xigbar, the man formerly his brother, was leading the assault. The two fight, and Clor comes out victorious. Xigbar retreats due to his wounds, and Braig vows to take revenge. Clor fights valiantly against the Nobodies but is eventually forced to retreat himself due to a sheer outnumber problem.

The scene is two days after the battle is ended. Clor is walking around the Dark City, surveying the damage. Clor grows fiercely determined to defeat those that caused this immense destruction, and vows to personally defeat the man who was once his brother.

The scene is one day later. Clor is still walking around the city when he hears the sounds of battle. He comes across a street where a young man dressed in a silver cloak was fighting a Nobody. Another one comes across, and Clor defeats it at the same time the young man killed his foe. The young man called himself Aredek, and Clor was offered a position in a terrorist group against Organization XIII and the Nobodies. Clor accepts.

The scene is an hour later. Clor is walking with Aredek when Xigbar appears. This time, Clor is unable to hold back Xigbar, and is quickly defeated. Just as Xigbar was about to deal the finishing blow, Aredek duels with Clor's brother and defeats him, forcing a retreat. Clor develops an intense loyalty to Aredek, and swears himself and his bow to Aredek's cause.

The scene is the following day. Clor is given one of the silver cloaks worn by Aredek and the other members and adopts a new name, Alroc.

The scene is two hours ago. _He_ had returned back to headquarters from his place, but Aredek was nowhere to be found. Alroc goes out to find the leader of the group.

That was a little story of my past. If you would allow me, I will now set the scene of the current time: The scene is the present. Alroc has found Aredek.

As Aredek calls my name, I jump down from the building I had been perched upon to greet him. We shook hands, and Aredek asked, "Why aren't you at headquarters?"

I slightly frowned. "Sorry to not be where you expected, boss, but he returned back to headquarters. Some of them were worried, and quite frankly I feared you might've gotten into trouble. Again. So I came searching for you." I had always been loyal to Aredek, ever since that day that they we first met. We were quite close, and both of us respected and looked up to each other.

Aredek smiled. It was good to have such a loyal friend. "Thank you, Alroc. If you don't mind, could you scry to the headquarters? I would like to make sure the others have arrived."

I nodded. "Sure, boss." I took a mirror out from underneath my silver cloak, and using the moonlight, scried with the reflective surface. I showed the image to Aredek. "Is this to your liking?"

Aredek nodded. Slay, Alay, and Selena had all made it back safely. "Thank you, Alroc. Now let us return home."

"Go ahead, boss. I'll watch our back."

As Aredek left him, I heard a sudden swishing of a cloak. "You clever little sneak!" said an all too familiar voice.

"XIGBAR!" I screamed, notching an arrow at my once brother and shooting it.

"Naughty, naughty!" Xigbar scolded, drawing his dual Arrowguns and facing me on the ground.

"WHY ARE YOU HERE!" I screamed, barely able to control my anger.

Xigbar's face, normally with a joking smile on it, changed into a more serious one. "Bro, I came here to tell you something important."

"WHAT!"

"I know that after everything that's happened we're estranged and all, but you're still my brother, so I wanted to warn you. The Organization is planning something big. And dude, if you get anywhere near it, they'll guarantee that you die."

I was taken aback. Was Xigbar really trying to warn him? Did Xigbar… Really care? Before I could inquire any further, I looked up and the Nobody of my twin brother was gone. "Just like him," I muttered gruffly before starting after Aredek.

**Alroc was created by DoubleDeath**


	6. Number VII

**(Aredek's POV)**

I raced back towards headquarters, eager to report my findings. But there was another reason that I was eager – all thirteen members of the Thirteenth Order hadn't been in the same place for a long, long time. In fact, I was quite looking forward to the reunion, despite the grave circumstances that have caused it. As I turned one of the final headquarters, something happened. My shadow rose up from the ground and faced me. I wasn't surprised. In fact, I smiled a little, and than I said, "Maya."

**(Maya's POV)**

Some people say that the Order adopted me. I feel it would be more of a fair statement to say that I adopted it. It all started with the Nobody invasion. It was a nice, calm, peaceful day. I was with my husband and my son, and we were all just sitting together. My husband and I first realized that something was wrong when the loud sounds started coming – sounds of battle. We waited in our house, scared.

The sounds eventually got louder and closer. And before we knew it, they were upon us. As my husband and I rose, a blond girl carrying knives, escorted by two creatures in white, stormed into the house. "Get out, now!" my husband cried.

The blond girl laughed. "Oh, poor fool. Dancers, kill them!"

The creatures in white grabbed hold of us, my husband, son, and I. At the command 'kill', one of the creatures in white – Dancers – prepared to slaughter my husband. He turned to my son and I and said, "I love you."

Than the Dancer killed him. My son started crying, and the blond girl, that demon, began cackling. "Mommy, I'm scared!" My son wailed.

And than they killed him, too. The blond demon sighed and said, "That's all I need to see. Finish her off and come back to the battlefield."

She exited my house, leaving the Dancers alone. One raised its arm to kill me, but by some chance I broke free of their grasp and caught its arm. I lifted it into the air, throwing it into its companion. "NOT ANYMORE!" I screamed, drawing my double-bladed sword with a brown leather grip in the center. I struck the Dancers, and both died.

I looked at the dead bodies of my family. As I wept, I said a quick prayer and swore to avenge them. I stormed out of the house and saw the blond demon fighting a telekinetic girl. As the street began to crowd, the two fighters were unable to continue their fight. The girl screamed, "LARXENE!"

And that was how I learned the name of the demon that tore my life apart. In the midst of all the chaos, I joined in the battle, slaughtering the Nobodies. But there was a huge swarm of them, and when it looked like they were gaining an advantage, I retreated.

Nearly a week later, I was stalking around the Dark City, trying to discover the location of Larxene. I assaulted a horde of Nobodies, and after defeating them, I heard a scream. Rounding a corner, I saw the telekinetic girl from the battle locked in combat with a Nobody, and the Nobody had an advantage. I quickly joined in, slaying the beast.

"Where are your parents?" I asked the girl.

She looked at me with a sad face and said, "Dead."

I drew the girl into a hug. She was wearing a sliver cloak, and I asked her what it was for.

She answered, "It is the symbol of the resistance. It is the symbol of the group that will defeat Organization XIII and the Nobodies."

And that is how I was introduced to the group. I quickly took to all of them, and became something of a maternal figure. I was always looking out for the precious fighters, my new family. I was so protective I assumed a constant guard over the headquarters' perimeter, making sure no one could hurt them. The Order had thrown away my previous name, Amy, and renamed me Maya,

During one mission, I came across the demon girl, Larxene. She laughed when she saw me, and I attacked her in a furious rage. I'd never had formal battle training before, but I was light on my feet due to being a dancer in the past. That one advantage I had was lost against Larxene, because she was just as fast, if not faster, than me. But it was sheer determination that brought me to defeat her after an intense struggle. She fled, and I was too weak to pursue. But I knew that the day would come where I would defeat her, once and for all.

And now here we are, at the present. Using my powers over shadows, I made the shadow of the approaching someone come to life. But I relinquished this order when I heard the person say, "Maya."

It was Aredek. Bless his little soul, he had formed this group and was as incredibly devoted to it as much as anyone could be devoted to anything. I smiled as he walked towards me. "Number I, Aredek! Welcome back to the home, baby! Just get right on inside; he's already here."

He nodded. "All right, Maya. And when Alroc arrives, please set the necessary automatic defenses and accompany him inside."

Usually, I never went to those meetings, instead standing guard. But Slay had come, the girls were brought back from wherever they were, and now I was being asked to join in. That meant something was up. "Sugar, is something wrong?"

As he walked inside, he furrowed his brow as if he was deep in thought and said, "I'm not quite sure."

He went inside and I waited for Alroc to arrive. I heard footsteps, and assuming it was Alroc, I went to meet him.

It wasn't Alroc. "Hello, Maya."

"LARXENE!" I raised my sword and swung it at her at the speed a baseball player swings his bat.

Larxene laughed and easily avoided my attack. "Hasn't anyone ever tell you don't shoot the messenger?"

"What do you mean, demon spawn?" I spat.

Larxene sighed. "The person who delivers a message! Gosh, you're dumb! Anyway, Superior sent me here to tell YOU, and YOU PERSONALLY, that we know where it is."

Before I could further inquire about what 'it' was, she had disappeared. I heard Alroc come up, and he said, "Let's go in now." Seeing the expression of pure rage and hatred on my face, he asked, "Is something wrong?"

I shook it off, not wanting to tell him about Larxene. "No, let's go in, boy. Something big must be going down if all thirteen of us have gathered at the same place!"

**Maya was created by Shattered Glass Memories**

**Everyone who has submitted an OC, thank you! We still have Xaldin, Leaxeus, Demyx, and Roxas open for nemesises. Recon Grrl, could you please submit another nemesis?**


	7. Number IV

**(Aredek's POV)**

I was walking through one of the halls of headquarters, slowly making my way to the conference room. Although there was often fighting between some members of the Order, headquarters was overall a nice, calm place to be. It was also a very suitable fortress, able to withstand many attacks. And besides that, it was nearly impossible to find. I passed by the library, and there I saw a girl pale like snow, with a dark blue hairstyle covering her left eye. She was poring over a big black Lexicon and her longbow lay within reaching distance. I walked into the library, saying, "Lexa!"

**(Lexa's POV)**

I am a quiet and composed girl with an intense hatred for Organization XIII. Because they have stolen my brother from me, much like how Kalua has lost hers.

My younger brother Ienzo and I lived with our parents in the Dark City for as long as I can remember, possibly even longer. Our parents were scientists, and tragically, one day, an experiment went wrong. Ienzo and I were left as orphans. A neighbor moved us into an orphanage, where we were miserable.

A man named Even eventually came, and he had intended to take both of us back to where he lived as apprentices. But I can still clearly recount the memory of when Even, with tears in his eyes, said that Ienzo and I would have to be separated, as he could only take Ienzo.

I was distraught, so I ran away from the orphanage. Never once did I turn back. I, Ela, was gone from there, and now I was free to go wherever I wanted. I'm not exactly sure how, but I came into contact with a Keyblade wielder – a Keyblade master. He told me great stories of his own adventures.

The master taught me dark magic, and he was also the one to give me my Lexicon, which is still my primary weapon to this day. I relied on the master; he was like an older brother to me. Had he been older (for he only appeared to be perhaps seventeen at the time) I could've called him my second father. But one day the master told me that he needed to leave the Dark City. I begged him to allow me to accompany him, but he refused. He would only tell me that 'your time will come soon'.

After he left, I managed to acquire a big longbow with a camo quiver that held twenty-four magic arrows. I had tried to join the guards of the city, but I was turned down, with the head citing that they already had an archer.

I was depressed incredibly that my brother was gone, and ended up wandering the streets. I heard a foul sound, and upon tracing it, I found a young man playing a sitar. It was the worst thing I had ever heard, and I calmly asked him to stop playing.

He grew offended, and told me that he wouldn't. That was the day I met Demyx, my greatest rival.

Soon after this encounter, Organization XIII and the Nobodies invaded the Dark City. I initially tried to fight back, but seeing my brother, Ienzo, wearing the black cloak of the Organization, I stopped resisting.

Ienzo, now going by Zexion, found me and took me to The Castle That Never Was. He announced that I would be joining their group with my new name, Lexa. Unfortunately, Demyx was a part of the Organization, and he refused to let me join. Their Superior agreed with him, and I was sent out, but not before Demyx had time to pour a bucket of water on my head for the other members' amusement.

I soon heard of the tales of three warriors cloaked in silver who fought against the Nobodies and Organization XIII. While trying to find them, I encountered Demyx. We began sparring, but he clearly outmatched me. Just as he was to deal the finishing blow, two girls in silver cloaks picked me up and moved me while a boy in a similar clock dueled Demyx. Demyx sneered and fled before the battle could go any way.

This was how I encountered the Thirteenth Order. And I shortly joined their ranks as Number IV.

Since than, it has been twice that I encountered Demyx. But even more painful still were the rare times that I came across my brother, now lost to the evils of the Organization.

"Lexa!" I heard, snapping me out of my memories.

Looking up, I found that it was only Aredek, our leader. "Yes, Aredek?" I asked quietly.

He smiled. "You get the memo? Meeting in the conference room. Something big is going down."

I slowly closed my book and told him, "All right. I shall shortly be there."

Aredek nodded before leaving me. I went out to the balcony that was joined to the library, and there I stood peacefully until I heard the sounds.

It was like something dying, but I was able to recognize the sound from all that time ago. It was Demyx's sitar. I wondered what it meant before I tried to decipher the notes. The notes, when read, said:

_~~D~~~E~~A~~~D_

Coincidence or not, it was weird. Demyx was nearby. And he was sending me coded messages. I couldn't imagine how, or why, but he was. And I knew that it must be something horrible.

A feeling of intense anger came over me as I imagined that smug musician somewhere near me. But I needed to put these feeling aside.

Remembering what Aredek had told me, I grabbed my objects and raced out of the library, heading towards the conference hall.

**Lexa is by Recon Grrl**

**We still need people whose nemeses are Xaldin, Leaxeus, and Roxas!**


	8. Number IX

**(Aredek's POV)**

I continued walking through the halls of the headquarters, still looking for all the other members and calling them to the conference hall. I was still looking for **Kalua**, **Arimana**, **Rani**, and the two others. Of course, there was also him… but he would be an important matter of discussion as well. I sighed. Poor **Ailmus**. I passed the training room, and hearing fierce cries from inside, I went in. A delicate looking fierce girl of about 17 years was training her magic. Her staff, tall and silver with a sharp tip and a blue handgrip, slightly resembling a spear, lay propped on a wall. She was vigorously practicing complex magical spells on one of our training dummies, and I smiled. "Arimana!" I called out to her.

**(Arimana's POV)**

Although I might seem young, only being seventeen, the Organization has caused me much pain. More pain than someone my age has to feel, even though it must be worse for Aredek. But that is his story, and now is the time to tell mine.

I had a family of four before the attack – my parents and my sister, Blaze. Blaze and I had always had a shared love of magic that kept us close. Our whole family was close, almost as if it were a show from previous decades. That close.

But things took a turn for the worse for my family. I was Marina than, a fifteen-year-old girl. And my life was going to get torn apart.

Just a week after I turned fifteen, the attack came. I heard the screams, and drawing my staff, I ran into the front room just in time to see a Nobody kill my mother. My father was being restrained, and Blaze was caught in their grasp.

"NO!" I had screamed upon the horrible sight. Blaze was bawling, and the Nobodies carried her outside. Soon, her sobs stopped coming. Some of the remaining Nobodies came after me, but that was a huge mistake. I blasted them apart with my magic, freed my father, and than the two of us ran.

My father became horrible. He seemed to just stop caring, and eventually, one night while we were sleeping in a hidden alcove, he left me. He just left his only daughter, the only member of his family left. And personally, that hurt me a lot.

I was wandering the Dark City with nowhere left to turn when I came across a young boy in a black cloak carrying some sort of key sword. Honestly, he looked a little like Jesse McCartney. I called out to him and introduced myself. He just plagued me with questions about who I was and the Nobodies. When he had the audacity to ask about my sister, I snapped. I attacked him, and he left me nearly dead. Before he left, he left a cryptic clue with me: Go to the hidden.

I was saved when a kin shopkeeper took me in, and while I was staying with her, I eventually figured out the mysterious boy's clue. It came when a young man and woman dressed in silver cloaks came into the shop. At first I thought they were related to the boy due to their cloaks, but theirs seemed to be the exact opposite of his.

The boy noticed me and introduced himself and his companion as Aredek and Kalua. They said that they were hidden from the Organization and fought them. I took the mysterious boy's message to heart and went to them. And than I joined the Order.

There, I discarded my original name, Marina (like all the other members do), and took on a new one: Arimana.

On some missions with the others, I came into contact with Organization XIII and learned that the mysterious boy's name was Roxas. I encountered him once with Aredek, and we fought alone until I was losing. Than Aredek intervened and Roxas fled. Again I begin talking about him, but here is an important fact he might not have said: The Organization seems to fear him. As in genuinely fear him.

He is one of the only Order members to have defeated a member of the Organization in combat – in fact, multiple members of the Organization.

But back to my tale. Here I was now, training my magic in the training room when Aredek walked in and called to me, "Arimana!"

I relinquished my attack on the training dummy to turn and smile at him. I was closer to him than any of the others, and I think he felt the same. We were a team. "Hi, Aredek." I noticed a new scratch on his cloak. "You see Axel again?"

He nodded. "Yeah. You always seem able to tell."

"Maybe you just make it easy to see."

He smiled. "Yeah, well, come down to the conference room, okay Storm?" Storm was the nickname he had for me, referencing my element.

I looked at him questioningly. "Why, what's wrong? Is it, you know… him?"

He shook his head and than nodded slowly. "Well, yes and no. Just meet me down there, okay?"

I nodded. "See you in a few, than."

He nodded and left. I was going to continue my training before heading down when I noticed something new in the room. Over in the corner, next to my staff, was a box that hadn't been there when I had put my staff there.

I opened the box, and inside was some sort of blue ice cream that tasted slightly salty and a note. The note read, _Arimana – Time runs short. Stay out of the way and stay safe. Your Order are the only ones to regain peace, and you cannot die. Don't interfere. Roxas._

I looked the note over. Although we were each other's nemesis, Roxas and I seemed almost, I don't know… friendly with one another. If only ever so slightly.

I folded the note and put it in my cloak pocket. Than I grabbed my staff and exited the training room. If Aredek was calling a meeting there, and he couldn't just explain it to me in person, than there had to be something big going on.

**Arimana was created by SomeEnchantedSunset.**

**Although Kalua was first mentioned in the last chapter, she was mentioned again hear alongside Rani and Ailmus. Yes, these are three other members of the Thirteenth Order, if you were wondering.**

**Speaking of the Order… I only have two free spots left. One for a Xaldin nemesis, and one for a Leaxeus nemesis. I already saw a Xaldin nemesis that looked good, but a better one might show up. You'll have a few days before my final decisions are made, so submit your OC soon!**

**Lastly, I just want to thank all of those who did submit an OC, because this story would be nothing without you.**


	9. Number X

**(Aredek's POV)**

I continued on going through the headquarters. Slay, Alay, Selena, Alroc, Maya, Lexa, and Arimana were already going to the conference room… and he would be there as well. Only four others left, and I had a feeling that I knew where one of them would be. I walked into the weight room and there she was. A fighting expert, she was always honing her skills. I watched her easily pumping 100-pound weights, one I each hand. I almost regretted interrupting her as I said, "Rani."

**(Rani's POV)**

There was a time, a long, long time ago, where my name was Rin. A time where my younger brother and I lived happily together. A time where I could live peacefully, training my students in the art of fighting.

But that time is no longer existent. It all started one day when I went out to teach at the studio. It was a normal day, and I waved good-bye to my brother Timothy, not knowing that I would never see him alive again.

The cries of battle had been raging, and it was too much. My students and I ran out, and the streets were raging with battle. Nobodies flew everywhere with their Superiors fighting as well. Some citizens were fighting against those in black cloaks. There was a young girl carrying a doll, a telekinetic, and a male archer. And other citizens trying to reclaim their city. Most of them were ushered into groups to escape captivity – or worse. I raced furiously to my home, wanting to rescue Timothy.

When I walked in the door I saw the man in the black cloak kill him. A card severed his head from his body. And then the monster turned to me and said, "Fine day for a takeover, don't you agree?"

I cracked. Ever since that moment I had been slightly insane. I drew my Katana, a black blade sharpened to a point. I attacked the monster, but he laughed and fell into a black corridor appearing out of nowhere. Stupidly and furiously, I lunged in there after him.

My heart felt fit to burst from the corridor. A huge strain was put upon me, and I could hardly breathe. Eventually, I found my way out of there. Time had passed since I had first entered, around a month. How it had happened I knew not, but I guessed it had something to do with the monster.

Being light and nimble, I stealthily made my way around the city, looking for SOMETHING. But what I found wasn't something. It was someone.

A boy in a silver cloak holding a spear was locked in fierce combat with a Nobody. He was bleeding from a gash on his forehead, and there were burn marks on his cloak. I jumped in, and with a mix of swordsmanship and street style fighting, I killed the beast. The boy introduced himself as Aredek and he told me of a group of terrorists.

That day I became Rani.

On several missions, I came into contact with the monster, and I discovered that his name was Luxord. A name that now inspires hatred in my heart whenever I even think of it.

At this moment, I was training in the weight room. In order to be a good fighter, you had to be able to fight. So I was constantly training. Normally I would talk to myself, a side effect of being slightly insane, but not today. Not after what had happened to him. He was far more insane than I was.

I heard someone walk in and say, "Rani."

I put my weights down to see the leader, Aredek. The founder of the group, and the inspirer of hope. "Aredek, you know much better than to interrupt a psychopath while she is training. Especially when said psychopath is holding two weights that would kill you upon contact."

Aredek laughed. "All right, miss psychopath. Just wanted you to know that we're meeting in the conference room to discuss matters."

"Is it… you know, him? Has he had an episode again?"

His expression darkened, like it was a touchy subject that he didn't like talking about. It was, though. "Slightly. I mean, yes. But there's another reason. Slay will be here as well."

I sat up straight. "Slay?" Slay hardly ever came to visit, so it must be something big.

He nodded, and then walked out. "Hurry up!" he called back at me from the hallway.

Using my powers, I moved all of the sweat from my body to a bowl in the corner. I meant to get up when the window burst open. When I went to close it I saw a card flapping in the windowpane.

I looked at it, and it was the Queen of Spades. I flashbacked to a time from a few months ago:

_Luxord chuckled. "Oh, Rani, how pathetic to think you can outmatch me. I am the King of Clubs, and you are nothing more than the Queen of Spades."_

It was ever so subtle, but it was a message from Luxord. A message from the monster.

I hurried to the conference room.

**Rani was created by Snow and Lyoko**

**ATTENTION! ALL APPS ARE NOW CLOSED! The two unknown members have finally been picked - or, well, kinda sorta. The Leaxeus nemesis is definetely decided, while I am still working between two very good Xaldin applicants.**


	10. Number VIII

**(Aredek's POV)**

I was still searching for three more members. I had a feeling on which I would find next, and so I went down to the kitchen. She was usually there, eating something, because she claimed that each bite was like an adventure. She'd also try to concoct her own recipes from time to time, usually ending in disaster. I pushed open the door, and there she was at the table, devouring a rice cake while reading "The Chinese Cinderella". Some of her little origami figures danced around the table. It was such a calm and peaceful sight, you'd never believe that the girl was a terrorist. But she was, as all are of us. "Kalua!" I called out to her.

**(Kalua's POV)**

A long time ago it had been Isa, mom, and me. But when mom died, Isa left me too. He said that he wanted a better life for us, and that he'd be back. But he never returned.

I stayed with this old lady, one of our neighbors, and practiced making my origami, and reading. I wanted to be able to show off my skills to Isa when he returned. Every day I wished that he'd the next, and every morning I was disappointed.

Shortly after this, the invasion occurred. It was horrible. The Nobodies were everywhere. Despite my neighbor's warnings, I fled the house with only my messenger bag, going in search of Isa. Something told me that he was here.

My messenger bag held a notebook, sketchbook, 2 books titled "Macbeth" and "The Chinese Cinderella", an "xxxholic" manga, and a pack of origami paper. It was my weapon. While racing through the streets of battle, I drew some paper from my bag and formed it into a katana. I assaulted many Nobodies. I enjoyed fighting, because it gave me a chance to be outgoing.

I found Isa eventually. But he wasn't Isa anymore. He claimed to be Saïx, an emotionless beast whose only loyalty was towards the Organization. I didn't believe him. I begged Isa to return to me, but he attacked me. I refused to fight back, so it was easy for my brother. When he though that I was dead he left.

But I hadn't died. I'd just been put into a coma from the pain and the shock. I'd thought that nothing could tear my brother and me apart. Boy, was I wrong.

I was eventually found by a group of terrorists and brought to their headquarters. When I awoke, their leader, Aredek, asked where I'd like to go. I told him I'd like to go anywhere I could to fight the Organization. He grinned and told me not to move.

I abandoned the name Luka on that day, and adopted the persona of Kalua. I was trained in martial arts by Slay, but to this day, I am still a beginner.

And I love eating. It's so much fun! Its like a little adventure with each bite, you know? Or maybe I'm just weird like that.

Anyways, I was in the middle of eating a rice cake when Aredek walked in. He called out to me, "Kalua!"

I closed my book and my Origami figures unfolded themselves. I looked at him and smiled. "HI! What's on your mind? I can tell that something is! You saw Axel, and you saw some old friends!"

He laughed. "You're really good at reading people!"

I nodded. "And you're slightly scared, and recently you saw the girl you love!"

He blushed. "What?"

I laughed. I knew he had a crush in the group, and I could always read his face and know when he's been near her. But for the life of me I had no idea who it was. "Yeah, yeah, I know what your day was just by reading your face. Now its time for you to speak!"

He told me, "Come to the conference room." He left quickly, obviously not wanting to give me the chance to embarrass him further.

As I was gathering my stuff up, for a split second, the big circle light on the ceiling turned silver. I looked up, and instead of light, a moon emitting moonlight replaced the circle light.

I knew that it was a sign from my brother, but the moon returned to a regular light just as soon as it had appeared. I stared out of the window and muttered, "I will kill you. Very soon."

And than I went to the conference room.

* * *

**Kalua was created by ShadesofJades**


	11. Number XII

**(Aredek's POV)**

And than there were only two left. I sighed. It was always… humorous… when I was around this one in particular, but she was still basically a little kid. She was very hard to handle at times, which were, actually, most of the time. I already knew where she would be – the same place she always was, all the time. I walked through the halls of our headquarters until I arrived at a door with a sign on it that said, "DO NOT INTERRUPT. VERY BUSY.' I sighed, knowing that my room would soon be covered in brightly covered stickers for doing this. I opened the door to the 'Music Room', and there she was, sitting on a pillow. She was blonde with little bright streaks of pink and green in her hair. She had sky blue eyes, and her silver cloak was covered with brightly covered stickers. She was playing into her flute, but stopped abruptly when I walked in. I shook my head and muttered, "Aoen…"

**(Aoen's POV)**

Before I tell you all about my life story, I just want to let it known that Aredek is a smelly dumb head! He refuses to respect my DO NOT INTERRUPT signs, he always tells me to put m flute away, and he doesn't like bright colors! GOSH, is he boring! But I'm going to get back at him! I know who he has a crush on, just because I know stuff like that. It's a girl… well I'm not going to spoil it! I'll only tell you that her name has an A in it! That should be enough! But now, on to the most important thing ever… me!

Unlike the others, nothing really happened to me on the day of the invasion. The only thing that did happen was that this nice man named Ridge gave me my magical flute and blessed me with control over animals: the element of nature. Yeah, nothing REALLY important!

I lived in a survivor's camp where I was really happy. There were lots of games, and lots of people, and they took really good care of me. One day, though, after I'd spent a real long time at the camp, I wandered away.

I saw this really weird looking guy. He had dreadlocks, and he was in a black cloak, and he had these six lances that followed him around. I thought that he was really funny looking, so I followed him. Just like any other little girl would've done.

When I got close to him, I started asking him questions. He tried to ignore me, but he soon learned what a mistake that was. Eventually I annoyed him so much that he attacked me. Since I dislike fighting, I just laughed and ran in circles while playing my new flute, and by some miracle I avoided getting stabbed.

Soon, though, this really wicked girl in a silver cloak showed up. She defeated the guy (turns out that his name is Xaldin). I called after him, "BYE BUDDY!" He called back at me, "I will kill you."

The super cool girl that saved me, Lexa, gave me a piggyback ride all the way back to her home. A PIGGYBACK RIDE!

She said that she was bringing me there because I reminded her of her little brother when he was my age. When I tried to ask her about him, she just went silent. Like my new friend, Xaldin. When we entered her home (she called it headquarters), I screamed, "HURRY! WE HAVE MUCH TO STEAL!" at the top of my lungs. The others there knew that they had a problem than.

Ever since, Lexa has been like my older sister. I love just hanging around her, especially when she is reading an "important" part of her book.

I was practicing a new song on the flute to my imaginary chimp friend, Bobo, when Aredek, the big grouch himself, walked in. He muttered, "Aoen…"

I turned towards Bobo. "BOBO! Aredek is being a grumpy grouchy-head!"

"EEP!" cried Bobo.

Aredek sighed. I was the only one that could Bobo, so nobody else thought that he was real.

"Why are you interrupting my super extra special mega important concert?" I whined.

He picked something up off of the ground from my pile of clothes. "First, you little thief, whose bra did you steal this time?"

"How do you know it's not mine?"

"You're twelve."

"Not in Bobo years!"

"EEP!" Bobo cried.

He sighed. "I'm going to find out who owns this later, thief. Now, second, please come down to the conference room. We have matters to discuss."

"Like your meaniness?"

"See you soon," he said as he left the room.

"WAIT!" I shouted.

He poked his head back into the room. "Yeah?"

"The bra is Arimana's."

I saw the faintest blush develop on his cheeks before he left the room. I giggled, and Bobo cried "EEK!", which I took to mean 'the grouchy boy felt embarrassed'. I giggled some more.

I suddenly felt a gust in the room, an unnatural gust. I'd only ever felt something like that when I went on the only mission I'd ever went on – when I encountered Xaldin again. The gust stayed in the room for about ten seconds before going away.

I pulled Bobo into my lap. "It's okay, Bobo. This is a safe place. A safe place."

"EEK!" he cried. I knew that he meant, "I hope it is, for your sake."

**Aoen was created by Iamfluffy**


	12. Number V

**(Aredek's POV)**

And now there was only one more member I had to find before heading down to the conference room. I always knew where she would be because she typically doesn't like to be bothered, which could be a good thing at times. But she was fiercely loyal to our cause and us, and I'm glad that she's on our side. I made my way through headquarters and down a hallway, and the air became colder with each step that I took. I let out a breath and a cold fog came out of my mouth. This girl practically lived in the cold. As I reached the end of the hallway, there was a door to my left. I knocked on it and entered. There she was, laying on her bed in her armor. She was the only one of us who didn't wear the cloak. She seemed so peaceful as I said, "Zana."

**(Zana's POV)**

Hello all of you who oppose the Organization and support the Order. Before I detail my conversation with Number I, I shall detail my own history.

My story really started when I was at a young age. My older brother, Aeleus, was leaving to become an apprentice somewhere far away. I remember hugging his leg and begging him not to leave me, but he smiled and shook me off, saying that he would be back soon for his little Azn.

But as soon as he was out of sight I knew that I would never see him again. My heart became encased in ice, and I shut everyone else out. My parents didn't know what to think of me.

I discovered strength in magic. It was the only way I ever expressed myself – through fighting. Unlike other people, who use conventional weapons, my weapon is instead my armor. It protects me. It strengthens my magic. And it is strong.

A few years after Aeleus had left, it happened. The major turning point in my life. The Nobodies invaded Dark City, and a huge legion of them were headed towards my home, as if there were something of special interest that they were after there. My parents threw me out of the house in order to protect themselves, and the Nobodies attacked me.

I was forced to fend for myself against Dusks, Berserkers, and Dancers. I saw a hooded man in a black cloak watching my fight from above. After I managed to finally dispatch the Nobodies, I turned to the figure. He pulled off his hood and it was Aeleus, but at the same time it wasn't. It was a new Aeleus. He called out a single word to me – Leaxeus. And then he disappeared.

Instead of going after him, I went with other people to a survivor's camp. After spending some time there, maybe too much time, I heard about a group of terrorist vigilantes fighting against the Organization. That inspired me, so I left the camp and began doing my own vigilante work.

For a while I worked alongside another vigilante named Blaze. Blaze was always very solemn and sad, and would often talk about a sister that she once had. Blaze told me she was fighting to protect the city and avenge her family. Eventually we went our separate ways, and I continued fighting alone.

Eventually the tales of my exploits reached that same group. While I was making my usual rounds, four people in silver cloaks appeared to me. I was prepared to fight, but my confronters didn't appear hostile. One of them stepped forward and introduced his group. He asked me if I wanted to join, and I turned him down.

I didn't want to be exposed to other people, and vigilante work was my own thing to do. I heard of an Organization mission in a part of the city, and I went to investigate it. There I found my former brother, Leaxeus. We sparred briefly, but he overpowered me. He raised his axe-sword to kill me, and I closed my eyes, bracing myself for death.

But death didn't come. I opened my eyes and saw two figures in silver cloaks dueling with Leaxeus while two others were kneeling by my side. They helped me up and the three of us ran to assist the others. Seeing how he was outmatched, Leaxeus fled.

I thanked my saviors, the same group that I had previously turned down, and they left without a word. I called out to the leader, asking why they were leaving without a word. He replied that I'd turned them down once, so there was nothing more to say.

But I had more to say. I joined his ranks then and there to repay the debt for saving my life. I discarded my old name, Azn, and became Zana.

Here I am now, lying in my room in the cold. Number I walked in and said, "Zana."

He always addressed me by my name while I addressed people by their numbers. I sat up and faced him. "Yes, Number I, that is my name."

"Please report to the conference room, Zana."

"Why do you come to tell me?"

He was surprised by the question. "What do you mean?"

"You are Number I, the superior. Why do you come tell me to come, instead of one of the lesser members?"

"Well, because I'm calling the meeting. And because just because I'm Number I doesn't mean I should boss everyone around."

I accepted the answer. "All right, Number I. I shall descend to the room of conferences momentarily."

He nodded and exited my room. As I stood up, the ground began shaking. It was merely a small earthquake, but yet something felt ominous about it. As if it was an unnatural earthquake. Suddenly, the floor of my room cracked. A second later, the crack was in the shape of an L.

I was not superstitious, and I didn't believe in coincidence. An earthquake that caused an L shaped crack could only be the work of my brother. He was sending me a sign.

And as I left my room, instead of wondering how or where Leaxeus was contacting me, I wondered why he would do such a thing.

**Zana was created by Freak-on-a-leash**


	13. Number XIII

**(Aredek's POV)**

I walked into the conference room, where they were all gathered.

Number I, myself.

Number II, Slay.

Number III, Alay.

Number IV, Lexa.

Number V, Zana.

Number VI, Alroc.

Number VII, Maya.

Number VIII, Kalua.

Number IX, Arimana.

Number X, Rani.

Number XI, Selena.

Number XII, Aoen.

And lastly, Number XIII… Ailmus.

**(Ailmus' POV)**

Hi! My name is AILMUS! And I'm VERY HAPPY! I am smiling RIGHT NOW! And for no apparent reason, either! It's all because I am insane! But I wasn't always insane, I'll have you know! In fact, I used to be quite, quite sane…

Once upon a time in a dark city there lived a young boy named Lumis. Lumis was a very ordinary child. Lumis was I!

Lumis lived an average life, with an average family. But one day a not-so-average thing happened to Lumis. Funny creatures in white attacked his city. A funny scientist led the funny ones that attacked Lumis' home. His name was Vexen. Vexen captured Lumis and brought him back to his castle.

Lumis was locked in Vexen's laboratory. There, Vexen performed many experiments on him. Lumis began to go slightly insane. Then Lumis went more insane. And with every silly experiment that the funny scientist, Vexen, performed on him, Lumis went even more insane. Eventually Lumis went full-fledged insane. He was the kind of person that was so insane he needed to go somewhere worse then a psychiatric hospital.

Some nice people in silver cloaks broke into Vexen's lab one day. Lumis waved hi to them, and they were surprised to see him. They freed Lumis and took him away from the funny scientist. As Lumis waved goodbye he vowed to kill Vexen one day.

The two people that rescued him, Aredek and Slay, said that they were fighting to free the same city that Lumis lived in. They dropped him off at a fun camp with lots of funny people, and Lumis saw the two of them fight some Nobodies. Lumis became inspired to fight as well.

Lumis learned martial arts from a nice guy at camp with a Keyblade. The nice guy also gave him a cute little pouch that contained infinite pieces of pitch-black barbed wire and power over the super-cool element of Gravity.

Lumis then began killing Nobodies for the Dark City. His friends Aredek and Slay, the nice people with the silver cloaks, found him one day. They said that he was 'special', and so they brought Lumis back to their home. Lumis was given his own silver cloak and a new name. Lumis became Ailmus on that day.

Ailmus was still insane, and one day he nearly killed a whole bunch of people. He doesn't remember how. He just remembers that one minute he was smiling and the next minute a straitjacket was pinning one of his arms underneath his cloak.

Ailmus hadn't been a member for long but he had a habit of going back to the laboratory where the funny scientist had experimented on him. It was just an abandoned building now, and Ailmus had a habit of just staring at it. Most of the time one of his new friends would have to bring him home.

Ailmus only went on a few missions, and Aredek and Slay called them 'special' missions. Ailmus never understood what was so 'special' about him, or why only Aredek and Slay went on missions with him.

The previous day, Ailmus was staring outside of the abandoned building one minute, and the next minute he was lying down on the ground while Aredek talked to someone Ailmus didn't know. Aredek called Ailmus a 'special case'. The other person nodded before noticing that Ailmus was awake. Then he went away.

That day Ailmus had come home early from staring at the building. He knew that something important was happening, and that he was a very 'special' person. He still didn't know why.

He saw all of his friends sitting around the conference room. None of them were saying anything. Some of them looked at him sometimes, but when they saw that he saw them, they turned away.

Aredek walked in soon. Everyone liked Aredek. Ailmus liked Aredek too. Ailmus, although he was insane, was an incredible tactician. He could find out weaknesses very fast, on the battlefield and off. Ailmus knew that Aredek had a very important weakness.

As Aredek looked around at all of Ailmus' friends, Aredek met each of their gazes for a few seconds. Slay nodded. Alay rolled her eyes. Lexa smiled half-heartedly. Zana blinked. Alroc, like Slay, nodded. Maya grinned. Kalua sighed. Rani nodded. Selena gave him a thumbs up. Aoen made a raspberry.

When he met eyes with Arimana, she winked and stuck her tongue out at him. He laughed.

Ailmus wished that Aredek would hide his weaknesses better. Aredek turned to Ailmus next. Ailmus knew that he was the center of attention at the conference, or at least one of them.

And as Aredek looked at him, Ailmus' eyes were asking, _Tell Ailmus why he is so special._

Ailmus was created by Silverking32

**All of the introductions are done, so now we will move on to the main plot! But be warned… there will be much conflict, heartbreak, drama, angst… and death. But in the midst of this, some people will be able to find joy. A joy in sadness.**


	14. The Second Prologue

In the place where nothing gathers, one can hope to find nothing…

Thirteen powerful beings sat atop high chairs in a circle. They all wore black cloaks, and all of them had no hearts. They were all Nobodies.

Their leader, the one who sat in the center, in a booming voice asked, "Has everyone sent the signals?"

They nodded, one by one. The leader nodded in approval. "And if they should not heed our warnings, then they shall pay the ultimate price."

One of these powerful beings, a man with spiky red hair, wasn't paying attention. He was busy in thought. '_The terrorist knew much… Too much. It is impossible for him to know so much… unless he was on the inside._

And the man grinned while looking around his comrades. One of them must be a traitor, and the traitor must be terminated. He resisted the urge to snicker as he thought, _I hope that Demyx is the traitor_.

Where one can find darkness in light, one can find light in darkness…

A young man was running through the streets of the Dark City. A swarm of Nobodies appeared before him, and he summoned his Keyblade. Never stopping, he raised his Keyblade and sliced the Nobodies in half.

Despite his young age, the man was a Keyblade Master. The city that he was now roaming had used to be his home, but no longer. He had watched on the sidelines, whispering into the ears of those who fought, training them, helping them.

But he had watched for far too long. Things were taking a dangerous turn. No longer could he afford to remain in hiding and let others do his fighting. It was his duty to protect the city, and that is what he would do.

In his own way, though. He would need a covert team to assist in the liberation of the city. And there were very few people that he could turn to for help. But those very few people would be all he needed.

The absence of hope all around, one can hope for its return…

A hero was sitting in an office going over some important papers. He was doing important work, plotting out movements and strategies, preparing for the inevitable.

A young woman walked into the office. "Ridge, has the time come for the mission?"

The hero, Ridge, shook his head. "Blaze, this will take time. Precious time."

Blaze was impatient. "We don't have time! I entered this partnership with you to end the reign of terror, not to wait until it's too late!"

"Blaze, calm down. Nothing shall happen this soon. As our plan takes time, so does theirs."

Blaze was still slightly angry. "We can not let other people fight in the open anymore! They do not know the risks! They do not know what is coming! We can't let them endanger themselves any longer!"

Ridge met her gaze. "I assume you are talking about the Thirteenth Order?"

"Yes! They are endangering themselves without even knowing it!"

"Stop lying, Blaze."

Blaze was taken aback. "What do you mean?"

"You don't care about anyone risking their lives. If you did, you wouldn't be doing what you do. No, what you do care about is the safety of one person."

Blaze's eyes began to tear up. "Of course that concerns me!"

Ridge sighed. "Blaze, don't worry. Your sister will be all right."

Liberation can be within grasp, one might reason…

An important meeting had been called in a hidden headquarters in a forgotten part of the city. Thirteen terrorists sit in the grand conference hall.

Most of them do not know why the meeting had been held.

Most of them guess why the meeting is being held.

Few of them know the truth.

Few of them can suspect the happenings.

One of them just wants to know what so many other people seem to know about him.

**This was just a chapter to introduce mysteries, raise questions, and start the overall plot. I hope it was good enough! All characters mentioned in this chapter have been mentioned at least once before, so don't think I just threw some people in here!**


	15. Chapter I

**(Aredek's POV)**

I looked out at the faces of my comrades, my friends. My family. Each one of them meant so much to me… even that little brat, Aoen. I looked over at Ailmus, sitting in the center of the conference hall. He was smiling that same maniacal smile of his, but his eyes spoke the truth. He was seeking answers.

I looked over at Slay, who noticed things like this long before I did. She gave a short, curt nod, as if telling me that it was now time.

I cleared my throat. "Attention, Order!"

Aoen pffted, obviously bored. "What is it, Mister Grumpypants?"

Lexa face palmed. "Shush, Aoen!"

Aoen rolled her eyes. Lexa said, "Please continue."

I nodded. "There is something that the Order must know. The truth. Slay and I have kept a large truth from you."

I had expected panic, but there was just more confusion. Some of the senior members, Alay and Lexa, seemed undisturbed, as if they already knew. Zana nodded her head as if I'd just given her a correct answer. The others mostly started conversing, until Alroc silenced them.

"What would be a truth that you felt unwise to share with us?" he asked me.

"The truth about Ailmus." Everyone quieted down at the mention of Ailmus.

Ailmus' ears, however, perked up. "OH! Did Aredek just say Ailmus? COOL!"

Aredek nodded. "The truth about why he is so… special."

Slay got up and joined me. "As you all know, Ailmus was previously a captive of the Organization – specifically, its mad scientist, Vexen."

Maya nodded. "Yes, we all knew that. So what's the deal?"

I sighed. "While he was in captivity, Vexen performed experiments on him."

Rani nodded. "That would be expected."

"One experiment was accidental, as Slay and I discovered. Vexen's records show that a very… dangerous… potion was merged into him. Its after-effects made him insane. He is special because he can, without knowing it, access the potion."

Zana fixed me with a gaze. "So?"

"The potion… it would give him power. Too much power, a destructible, uncontrollable power. That much power would allow him to destroy pretty much anything, and everything."

Selena shook her head. "I understand why you'd want us to know this… But why are you telling us now?"

Slay stepped forward. "The Organization has reached out to Aredek, Alay, and I. And Aredek is certain that they are planning something."

Alroc raised his hand. "They came to me as well."

Arimana nodded. "Me, as well."

I was confused. "Everyone, raise your hand if you were contacted by a member of the Organization!"

Everyone except Ailmus raised their hand.

"Why not Ailmus…" Slay muttered.

I was wondering the same thing. But then it hit me. "Everyone, the Organization warned us to stop fighting. To flee, to just give up, to go away."

"Your point?" asked Aoen.

"They left Ailmus out."

Slay's face was full of horror. "No… you don't mean…"

"They don't want bloodshed, they just want control. They want us gone so they can have absolute control. The reason they didn't reach out to Ailmus is… well, Ailmus, they want to use you to obtain control."

Horror spread out across all of their faces. "Tell me that this isn't possible!" Arimana cried.

I nodded slowly. "It… it must be… Vexen must not have realized the power Ailmus held during the experiment. But that day where Ailmus lost control, that first time… Vexen must have realized the potential. This must be what the Organization is planning. Get us out of the Dark City, away from them, so they can use Ailmus to take control… and destroy it. Rebuild it in their image."

I let it sink in. It was a horrible thought. If all of us who had suffered during the invasion thought that it had been bad then… It was about to get worse. Much, much worse.

Ailmus was still smiling. "Thanks for telling Ailmus this! You should go tell your friend this!"

Slay tensed. "Your… friend?"

Ailmus nodded. "When Ailmus woke up yesterday, Aredek was talking to him!"

I willed the child to shut up. To the others, I shook my hands. "I think he must have been hallucinating again."

Alroc nodded in my defense. "Everyone we all know is gone. Either captured, at a survivor's camp… or worse."

Slay smiled through gritted teeth. "So I guess that's everything?"

I nodded slowly. "Everyone, we will need to act soon. Take whatever time we have left to prepare. Ailmus, get some rest."

After that, when everyone rose, Slay ran out, dragging me by the arm. She raced to her room, burst open the door, and threw me in. I fell onto her bed, and she was fuming. It had been so long since she'd stayed here there was still a fine coating of dust over everything.

She fixed me with a stern, grave look. She knew everything about me. We'd been in this since the beginning. I couldn't lie to her. "WHY did you bring him here! We cannot let them finding out about them! Tell me that it wasn't him! Tell me that Ailmus really WAS hallucinating, and we didn't have to just LIE to them again! Please tell me that you weren't STUPID enough to let him in these halls!"

I sighed. I looked her in the eyes – a look of pure anger, but at the same time, distress. Fear, even. I couldn't lie to her. I whispered, "Yes, he was here. There was no choice. Time is running out."

**Sorry for the late update, I've been swamped with work lately! But I hope you liked this chapter, and that it answered as many questions as it brought up!**


	16. Chapter II

**(Aredek's POV)**

All right. So Slay was pissed off. Well, maybe that was an understatement. But what can I say? I have that effect around people sometimes. Well, maybe that was an overstatement. Bottom line: Slay is pissed.

I sighed. "Slay, you need to calm down! He can help!"

She yelled in frustration. "NO! He is just going to leave a path of devastation in his wake! How do you not see this… monster!"

"He is NOT a monster!" I yelled back. "He's… Ridge."

**(Arimana's POV)**

I know that I really should have just let things be, but I was too curious. Aredek had always called it one of my better qualities.

As soon as he and Slay had fled the conference room, I followed them. I was eager to discover what was happening. The two of them got to Slay's room, and I pressed my ear to the door, listening to them argue.

I jumped suddenly when I heard someone say, "That's spying, missy!"

I turned around and saw that it was Aoen. The sneaky little girl, always up to something. "Aoen, don't follow people! It's wrong! And where is that… item… you stole from me!"

She waited a few seconds, and then giggled. "Bobo, we need to tell her!"

I sighed. Always talking to her imaginary friend. "Tell me what?"

"We gave it to Aredek!"

I blushed a little. "You little thief! Now go away, it's wrong to spy!"

"Really? Then why are YOU spying?"

Damn. It was a good question. "Because I'm a big kid!"

"I'm twelve!" she whined.

"You act like you're two!"

"Shush! Bobo says Aredek and Slay are getting to the good part!"

That quieted me up. I placed my ear back to the door, and Aoen began silently giggling.

**(Slay's POV)**

"Yes! Ridge IS a monster! He was all the way back then! He still is now!" I yelled ferociously at Aredek.

He had an angry fire in his eyes. "You're just sore over that time when we fought with his forces! How you claimed he didn't respect you. How he wanted to make me his partner, and keep you a soldier."

"NO!" I shouted. "That is NOT it at ALL! You don't know ANYTHING! I could care less about how he treated me, but what I will ALWAYS care about is how he's willing to destroy everything we care for to save it!" Normally, I was calm and collected in times of argument. But whenever we brought up Ridge, my fury was unleashed. I couldn't stand that guy.

Let's go back a little, okay?

The truth is, Ridge is the main reason that I formed my own guild. After Aredek and I had formed the Order, we soon met Ridge. He was forming his own select army to fight against the Organization at all costs. Aredek and I agreed to join his ranks, and he was a good leader. But he never respected me. I was the only female in his army, which was quite small at the time. He and Aredek, though, hit it off, like they'd known each other forever. It turns out that WAS the reason why – but that's his story, not mine. Anyways, Aredek and I discovered that he was willing to go so far as to use weapons that would destroy the city to stop the Organization. Paradoxically, he was willing to destroy what he was fighting for in order to save it. In the end, I convinced Aredek to defect with me, and we continued on with the Order. Short story, I extremely dislike Ridge.

I knew that Aredek still maintained a close contact with him, but we always made sure that the others never heard of him. They would be tempted to side with him, tempted by his ideals on how to save the city. We needed to keep them safe from a dangerous man like that. Knowing that Aredek had brought him here, discussed Ailmus with him for heaven's sake, was horrible.

He rose to his feet. "Slay, I am NOT arguing with you about this – not now."

"What, are you going to run away? Going to run from me, Aredek, like you always do? FACE ME! You know that he is dangerous! YOU KNOW! We need to stick together! We do not need him!"

He had started tearing up a little. "Really, Slay? Stick together? Then where have you been!"

That blow struck me hard. I had been gone. But it was too late – he was leaving the room. Storming out would be closer to an accurate word.

"Where are you going!" I yelled at him.

"Out," was his only reply.

But I could tell. "It's her again, isn't it? WHY IS IT ALWAYS HER! AREDEK! STOP!"

But he couldn't be stopped. He pushed opened the door and discovered Arimana and Aoen waiting there.

Aoen giggled. "Hi."

But he just brushed past her, going down the hallway angrily.

Arimana looked into the room and saw me beginning to tear up too. "Who, exactly, is she?" Arimana asked.

I thought I sensed a hint of jealousy in her voice. I was going to try to explain to Arimana where Aredek was going, but I was unable to answer. My argument with Aredek had left me really shook up.

Seeing that she wasn't getting an answer, she cried in frustration, "FINE!" and stormed off.

That left me in my room, crying, and Aoen in the hallway.

She walked in and wrapped her arms around me. "You need a hug," she said.

She was right. I did.


	17. Chapter III

**(Aredek's POV)**

I stormed down the hallway. Passing the conference room, I began to run out. I needed some time to cool off. And besides, there was someone I needed to see.

Arimana raced behind me. "Aredek, wait! Come back!"

But I wasn't stopping. Nobody could force me too.

**(Maya's POV)**

I was still in the conference room, sitting next to Zana. Alroc and Selena were still around as well.

After seeing Aredek storm out, I turned to Zana. "Where do you think he's going?"

Zana fixed me with one of her cold gazes. "I can't be sure. VII. But I can be certain that none of us, with II an exception, could garner a guess to his destination."

"Well, what exactly do you mean by that, sugar?"

"I meant that there is more that he does not tell us. More that he keeps secret from us."

Alroc piped up. "Aredek is a good man. There must be a reason he doesn't tell us things."

I nodded. "Yeah, the little baby's gone through so much. We all trust him."

Zana sighed. "Not all of us. I don't trust him, not entirely. I would risk my life to save him, and I am sure he would do the same. But I would never willingly trust him with my life."

Selena rolled her eyes. "Why? He's trustworthy!"

Zana shook her head. "Don't be so certain. He does not tell us everything. If that is not grounds to not trust him, I would hope to discover what is."

"Well, we're still a family! We need to stick together."

"How little you realize," Zana muttered. "We do not stick together, nor have we ever. II is never here. We go on separate missions, the likes of which are never disclosed to others. Aredek goes off sometimes without explanation. We have never stuck together, nor may we be a family."

I found myself agreeing with the snow queen's point. "Well, sugar over here most surely has a good point."

Alroc shook his head. "Aredek has always been there for us – not once has he lied to us, given us reason not to believe him. Besides, bad times are approaching. Possibly very fast."

Selena agreed with him. "Alroc is right! If we don't think Aredek is trustworthy, then nobody is."

Zana chuckled. "Interesting you make mention of Nobody. But besides that, VI, you may be right. I has never lied to us. But he has never once told us a whole truth. That is reason not to believe him."

"Well, Zana, you're one of the senior members," Alroc said. "You, Aredek, Slay, Alay, and Lexa. You've all possessed a certain bond. I could tell that you senior members weren't as surprised as the rest of us to find out about Ailmus."

I nodded. "Baby, I caught that point too."

Zana shrugged. "I have had suspicions, as I do about many things. III and IV are senior members, so they have a better understanding, more knowledge, of situations then the lesser members. But the only ones that truly know what is going on are I and II, and even then I fear he does not tell II everything."

Selena shook her head. "I can't listen to this. Aredek is the person I trust more then anyone. I'm not going to listen to one of his oldest friends talk smack about him."

Zana rolled her eyes. "XI, I merely speak the true words that all of our ears must hear. I do not talk smack about our leader."

"Whatever," Selena said, and the little baby walked off. She was upset, I knew.

Alroc glared at Zana. "Zana, I do not agree with your messages about Aredek. If we cannot trust him, then the seeds of doubt will take root in all of us and tear our group apart." He sighed and added, "There is a lot to process in from the conference. I am turning in now. Until the next day, Maya, Zana."

He said Zana's name with a certain disdain, and it was easily to tell that he too was upset.

Once I was alone with the little baby, she sighed and said, "VI, I fear that it may be too late. Those seeds may have already taken root."

I nodded. "Sugar, I hear your point. It's a good point, too."

"You are clearly more open-minded about the subject then the others, VII."

I nodded. "Yeah, baby." I paused before asking, "Two things, though."

"They would be?"

"You found it funny when Selena mentioned nobody. And you also pointed out you had suspicions about other things."

Zana nodded. "Very observant, VII. I fear Aredek may be very close with Nobody, if you take nobody into the correct context. A Nobody."

"One of the Organization?"

She shrugged. "Possibly. I merely guess, speculate. Hypothesize."

"What about your other suspicions?"

She stared me directly in the eyes. "Those suspicions would be about the real things in the city that Aredek would prefer we didn't know of."


	18. Chapter IV

**(Aredek's POV)**

I was almost out. Nobody was going to force me into staying there. I ran down the corridor, not bothering to turn to Arimana, who was still following me. Normally I would've embraced the moment, but things were rapidly changing.

I ran past the kitchen, where two girls were sitting. They stared as I flew past, but I didn't want to turn back.

I wanted to keep running.

**(Kalua's POV)**

Rani and I watched Aredek go running past, and then Arimana go after him. Aredek seemed upset, and Arimana had tears in her eyes.

I chuckled. "Well, looks like they're having a lovers' quarrel!"

Rani rolled her eyes at me. "Really? You can find time to joke now, after all that he's told us?"

I smiled. "Come on, when ISN'T it the time to poke fun?"

"Whatever. I wonder where he's going, what else he's keeping from us. Don't you? I mean, it really pissed me off to learn about all of the secrets here!"

Shrugging, I replied, "Well, if he didn't tell us, there must be a reason, don't you think?"

She seemed taken aback. "You really believe that it could ever be as simple as that?"

"Well, yeah! It's not like mister pep doesn't trust us or anything. We've all been through so much together, so if that guy doesn't feel the need to tell us, then why should we barge in?"

Rani laughed, but there was no humor. "Oh, Kalua. How little you understand. Nothing is ever as simple as it seems."

"This coming from the hothead herself."

"What's that mean?"

I grinned. "Oh, nothing."

Before she could get the chance to rip my head off, Zana and Maya came walking by. "Where you going?" I asked.

Without turning around, Zana replied, "To get some answers."

Maya turned to us. "We're going into the city. Sugar over there has got some suspicions, some questions that she wants answered."

"What kind of questions?" Rani asked suspiciously.

Maya shrugged. "Stuff that Aredek doesn't tell us."

"So you're just going to, oh, go behind his back and try to uncover the things he doesn't want us to know?" I asked. Seeing Maya nod, I grinned, saying, "Well, that's super nice of you!"

Rani grunted. "If you're going to find some answers, then I want in on it, you hear?"

"VII! Hurry up. We don't have time to waste," Zana called.

Maya grinned. "If you're coming, Rani, come on." As Rani got up and followed Zana, Maya fixed me with one of her motherly gazes. "Sugar, you want to come too?"

I shook my head. "Nah. Unlike you backstabbers, I'm quite content with what Aredek chooses to tell us or not tell us."

Sighing, Maya replied, "We're not backstabbers, Kalua. We just want some answers."

And then she walked off, leaving me alone. "Thanks for being really enigmatic!" I called to no one in particular and went up to my bedroom.

As I passed Selena's room, I heard crying. I poked my head in the door and said, "Hello? Selena?"

She was sitting on her bed with tears at the corners of her eyes. Alroc was sitting next to her, trying to comfort the girl.

Alroc shrugged at me. "Hello, Kalua."

"What's wrong?" I asked, concerned about Selena. I'd never seen her upset like this before.

She blew her nose. "It's Zana! She… she's saying that we… we shouldn't trust Aredek!"

"Wow! That's why they're going behind his back and into the city!" I exclaimed.

"What? Into the city?" Alroc asked.

I nodded. "Yep. Miss lively and mama bear came by and they took hothead with her."

Selena blew her nose again. "There's something wrong with her! She thinks that Aredek is someone that we shouldn't follow. It's… it's really horrible to hear one of the Order speak like that! And Maya and Rani actually agreeing with her… This is horrible!"

I nodded slowly. I saw how Zana's accusations about Aredek had torn Selena up. Obviously they'd impacted Alroc as well. "Well," I began, "I only have a suspicion that things are going to get worse. A lot worse."


	19. Chapter V

**(Aredek's POV)**

I hurried through the city, running through the streets, jumping across rooftops. I was almost to the meeting place, and I was concentrating on not thinking about anything.

But there was one thought that kept coming back. One thought that refused to go away, no matter how hard I tried.

Ailmus.

**(Ailmus' POV)**

Ailmus was sitting on his bed, smiling happily. Ailmus was happy that he finally knew why he was so special. It didn't matter to him what made him special. He just wanted to know.

Somebody knocked on Ailmus' door, and Ailmus answered, "Ailmus says come in!"

It was Alay and Lexa. "Hi, Ailmus," Alay said as they sat down next to him.

Ailmus smiled wider. "Ailmus says hello, friends!"

"How're you going, Ailmus?" Lexa asked.

Ailmus knew his friends were just trying to be good friends. He knew that they expected Ailmus to be sad or upset at the truth. But now Ailmus' life made sense.

"Ailmus is doing great!" Ailmus announced happily.

Alay and Lexa exchanged a nervous glance. "Um, Ailmus," Alay started, "We understand if you don't want to admit how you feel, but it's okay to be upset. It's okay to be sad, or angry. You don't have to feel happy about everything all the time."

"Do you hear that?" Ailmus asked, talking to his rag doll stitches. His one free arm flowed freely while the one trapped in the straitjacket made another attempt at escape. "Ailmus' friends think that Ailmus is upset! But Ailmus is just happy! Ailmus is always happy!"

Lexa sighed. "Ailmus, I'm worried for you and your mental health. You're insane, you realize that?"

Ailmus fixed her with a straight gaze, without the insanity usually found in his eyes. "Lexa, I am quite aware of the state of my mental health." Then just as soon as it had gone away, the maniacal fire returned. "Ailmus is happy!"

Lexa looked towards Slay, and with her eyes motioned to the door. Alay nodded, understanding.

The two got up. Alay kissed Ailmus' forehead and said, "Be careful now, okay? Don't go losing it all on me now."

Ailmus nodded. "Ailmus will do his best!"

**(Lexa's POV)**

Alay and I walked back to the library. We sat down at one of the tables and both sighed. "I hope that one day the effects of those experiments will eventually wear off," Alay said hopefully.

I shrugged. "Did you see him there? Just for a second, he was himself. That gives me hope."

"Hope is something I could use a lot in these times."

I looked over at my friend. "You mean the secrets about Ailmus."

Alay nodded. "I know that the both of us had our own suspicions, and Zana probably guessed ages ago. But I just feel kind of… I don't know… excluded, I guess, for not being trusted with that information."

"You're right," I said. "That's how we should feel. But I think that he was right in not telling us. He was just trying to protect us, to not worry us."

"That all makes sense," Alay replied, "And I agree with you on everything. I believe in everything that our leader does, I agree with all of his decisions, and I trust him completely – I have to, because if I don't, I've got nothing. But there's more I want to know."

"Like what?"

Alay laughed. "Don't act so innocent, Lexa. I know that you've met him too."

I nodded. "You mean Ridge, correct?"

"Yeah, him. We've seen him; we're probably the only ones to have. He offered me a position in his army, and I can only assume that he did the same for you."

"Yeah. I declined him immediately."

"Me too."

"So what do you want to know?"

"Well," Alay began, "Who he really is, for a start. And how Aredek and Slay know him. Because we both know that they do."


	20. Chapter VI

_Fear is nothing more then we envision it to be._

Alroc, Selena, and Kalua just sat in silence, waiting. Selena still had signs of tears in her eyes.

"I just can't believe they would do this," Selena muttered.

"Who would do what?" Alay said as she and Lexa entered. The two exchanged nervous looks as they stood next to Kalua.

"Our dear friends Zana, Maya, and Rani," Alroc began to explain, a trace of anger in his eyes. "They're going beyond Aredek's wishes and venturing into the city to find 'answers', as they claim. They don't trust Aredek, apparently."

The two girls were taken aback. "Seriously?" Lexa asked in shock. "I just can't see the trio doing something like that."

Kalua shrugged. "Well, that's their problem."

Before anyone else could say something, a still-tearing Slay entered with Aoen holding her hand. "H-hey, guys," Slay said, wiping some of the tears away.

"Whoa, what's wrong?" Lexa asked with that same bored look on her face. Her voice betrayed her look; she was clearly interested.

"Her and Aredek, the meanie, they got into a super-huge-mega-big fight!" Aoen explained. "And then the meanie ran away!"

"Oh no!" Alay exclaimed, pulling Slay into a hug. "Are you okay?"

Alroc shook his head. "This is exactly what Zana said. Sowing seeds of doubt into our heads, tearing us apart… this is what we're becoming."

Slay pulled back and wiped her eyes. She attempted to regain her composure and asked, "Speaking of Zana, where is she? And Maya and Rani, too? And Ailmus? Arimana?"

Alay let out a small smile. "We left Ailmus up in his room. He's probably asleep by now."

Aoen added, "And Arimana ran after Aredek!"

Kalua exchanged looks with Alroc and Selena. "The other three backstabbers – Ice Queen, Mama Bear, and Hothead – they ran loose into the city. They claim to want answers. To find out things that Aredek isn't telling them."

Slay was visibly troubled by this. "No! This… this isn't good. We need those three back here right now! How could they! There are things out there… things, things that they shouldn't find out. People that they shouldn't find out about. At all."

Lexa put a hand on Slay's shoulder. "Aredek is out there. And apparently so is Arimana. They'll bring them back." She seemed to decide whether or not there was more she wanted to add; she nodded, resigning to the fact that she must. "And this might not be my place to say it, but I think they deserve to know about that someone."

"WHAT?" Slay questioned, a look of fear, anger, and desperation in her face. The others knew that she was being torn apart inside; the argument was apparently quite vicious, and now more shock. "How… who… what… what do you mean!"

Alay nodded. "We know him. We've met him. And the others, they deserve to know. They're loyal. It looks like we're being torn apart, and I think that we should just confess everything. Bring it all back in and try to unite us all as family once more. Okay?"

Slay looked like she wanted to cry. "I… I can't… I can't do this right now! I'm… GAH!" she said, starting to break down. Aoen squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"Just sit down, Slay," Alay instructed calmly, "And we'll handle this."

And here, Alroc, Kalua, Selena, and Aoen began to learn about Ridge.

* * *

_Anger and impulse lead to recklessness._

Aredek hurried out, running away from headquarters. He wasn't going to let this happen. He wouldn't let Slay tell him that Ridge was a monster, that he couldn't trust him; he needed Ridge now more than ever. Now was when they should reunite. Aredek had known Ridge for almost his entire life – he depended on him now. Their backstory can wait, though.

He just kept running, past everything, past all the buildings. There was one person that he needed right now: her. _Axxela_, he thought to himself.

"Where are we off to in such a hurry?" came a voice. Stopping and turning, he saw Axel leaning against a building. "Going somewhere? I wouldn't, if I were you. I'd just flee the city, and A.S.A.P. That means 'as soon as possible'. Got it memorized?"

Aredek just rolled his eyes angrily. "Sorry Lea, but I've got more pressing matters to attend to." And with that, he continued running, leaving behind a stunned Axel. Never before had the two passed up opportunities to spar.

_That was pretty well played_, Aredek admitted to himself. He ran for a few more blocks and then leapt onto a building, scaling it in a few seconds. And she was standing right there, right where she was supposed to be. Her wavy brown hair swayed in the slight breeze, and her emerald eyes were shining in the never-ending moonlight.

"Aredek! I believe that there's something important you needed to tell me, correct?"

For a Nobody, she sure seemed to have emotions. Aredek smiled at her. "Yes I do, Axxela. You'll want to hear this."

He explained to her the situation about Ailmus, and his suspicions for what the Organization intended to use the poor boy for.

Axxela just took the news in silence. She swayed slightly back and forth in her shining green roller blades, and her black cloak blew in the breeze. "That's… some heavy stuff," she got out after a few minutes.

Aredek nodded. "Yeah. I… I don't know what to do anymore. The Order – we're falling apart. I can tell. They don't trust me anymore, and by the time I can earn it back, it might be too late. They're going to come for us, I know – they'll take Ailmus, or maybe they've got something else planned, but I know that it'll all be over soon enough. "

"Well, why wait for them to come to you? Why not go to them?" Axxela suggested.

The idea seemed foreign and strange to him. "W-what? Go to them? ARE YOU CRAZY?" Aredek cried.

She shrugged. "Hey buddy, I was part of them for a long time. The Organization, they're going to believe that they're holding all the cards. They think you'll heed their warnings and leave, and give them direct access to the little tyke. They don't think you're much of a threat, and they're way strong. I've seen them on missions, I've fought alongside of them, and I've seen them do things that you can't imagine. They really don't fathom defeat all that well. And above all, they'll never see you coming. They doubt you, they have absolutely no faith in you – and that's something you can use. You and your group, you are strong enough. And I know that your Ridge friend will be more than willingly to help out. He's got a small army to. If you guys partner up, the Order and his army, you'll be the real unstoppable force. You said it yourself – there isn't much time left. So why waste your time moping around, waiting to be killed or whatever, when you could spend your time going against them? It's something I think you need to do. Not only defeat them, but have the Order finally face their demons – A.K.A. the Organization."

The speech really stuck out to Aredek. And he knew that Axxela was right. She knew everything about the Organization, having been a part of them for quite some time. "You're… right. We need to finish them once and for all. It's the only way." He waited a few seconds. "I trust you'll be there to support us, right?"

"Well, of course!" she said cheerfully. "Now that we've got a real plan, anything else we need to discuss?"

Aredek remembered seeing Axel. "Oh yeah! There's -"

But he was interrupted. "Now it all makes sense!" exclaimed a voice.

Axel calmly walked towards the two on the rooftop. His arms were twitching and it was clear to tell that beneath the calm demeanor he was furious. "YOU," he said, pointing to Axxela, "YOU'RE the little rat! The traitor that's been slipping him information!" He cackled. "AND YOU," he said, pointing at Aredek, "think that you're OH SO CLEVER, figuring out our plans like that! WELL! You'll NEVER be able to stop us, ever!"

Aredek shook his head. "We've got more than enough power to stop you."

"THAT'S not why!" Axel shouted, summoning his chakrams. "You'll never accomplish your little goal because you'll never live to see it!"

And as Arimana leapt up on the rooftop as well with tears in her eyes, having followed Aredek, she saw Axel unleash a torrent of fire onto Aredek as he summoned his spear and Axxela revved up her roller blades.

* * *

_In times of anguish, turn towards those you can trust, for they will always be there for you._

The trio of Ice Queen (Zana), Mama Bear (Maya), and Hothead (Rani) raced through the Dark City.

"Not that I'm regretting our decision, sugar," Maya began as they turned a sharp corner, "But where exactly are we going?"

"Same here, miss Ice Queen!" Rani exclaimed. "I am in no freaking mood to aimlessly race around this damned city! You better have a plan!"

Zana continued looking straight ahead, an expressionless look on her face. "Number VII and Number X, do not worry. I have an accurate guess as to where we are headed and what we will find there."

Rani grunted. "Well, would you care to share these suspicions of yours? I'm half convinced that you just took us out here for a good run! I want some action!"

"Come on, Rani," Maya chuckled, "I'm sure sugar's got something real entertaining for us!"

"Thanks for the confidence, VII," Zana said, nodding.

Rani huffed. "Let's just get there soon, all right?"

It was approximately at that second that all hell broke loose. Before someone could realize something was wrong, a blur raced in front of Rani and tripped her, and she went crashing to the ground.

Maya skidded to a stop. "Huh? Sugar, what just happened?" Then the ground beneath her began to tremble and the ground she was standing on lifted into the air. "WHAT?" Maya exclaimed before the earth thrust her into the distance; she crashed into a building, and with a loud groan of pain, she slumped to the ground.

Zana calmly stopped running and turned around to see the two black cloaked people behind her; one had a devilish grin on her face and one looked expressionless, as she so often does.

"Humph. The Savage Nymph and the Silent Hero. An obvious attempt at an ambush." She summoned her armor and braced herself. "A futile attempt, if I might add."

"Oh yeah, missy?" Larxene growled. "Prepare to eat those words!"

Before she could charge at Zana, Lexaeus put an arm out to stop her. "No. Take the others. She is mine."

Larxene glanced over at Rani, who was furiously dusting herself off, and at Maya, who was regaining her composure. Shrugging, she replied, "Sure thing, bulky!"

As she dashed over, Zana shook her head. "Brother, what is the point in this attack? Surely you can let us be, can't you?"

"We warned you," Lexaeus said simply. "You failed to listen. We tried to avoid bloodshed. That has obviously failed. Now we are fit to attack."

"And possibly kill us just because we don't do as you want?"

"I am surprised that you even associate yourself with these foolish ideals of stopping us and retaking your city. It was to my belief that you did not trust your Number I anymore."

"I do not completely trust Number I, but I am not about to abandon my ideals for that."

Raising his axe-sword, Lexaeus shrugged. "That is such a shame."

He swung his weapon, scraping up large chunks or earth on the way back up that swung towards Zana. She swiftly maneuvered her way through them, ducking down, and shot a blast of Blizzard magic at Lexaeus as she ran towards him.

Lexaeus shook his head and used his weapon to take the blow for him. This gave Zana enough time to reach him, and she struck a punch out, landing in the middle of his chest. A coating of ice encompassed the area she had struck and she backed up. Roaring in rage, Lexaeus stomped his foot into the ground and a ripple of earth went in Zana's direction. She tried to outrun it, but it caught her and sent her flying. Lexaeus began walking towards her, Skysplitter swung over his shoulder.

Meanwhile, Larxene quickly dashed over to the other two girls. Rani growled and summoned her katana – a black one sharpened to a point, with a silver three-foot ribbon hanging off the hilt and chains making the guard – and charged towards Larxene as Maya shook her head, clearing her vision; the attack on her had left her slightly dazed, and she had yet to realize that her attacker was the demon that had helped take her family away from her.

"Hello, bitch!" Rani called as she swung her katana at Larxene, who easily dodged it.

"Hey there, Hothead!" Larxene taunted as she flung three of her knives at Rani.

Rani jumped up and nimbly avoided them and was about to take another swing at the Savage Nymph when Larxene shot out a burst of thunder that caught Rani by the arm and sent her to the ground, twitching.

As Larxene began to descend on her, Maya realized who it was that was attacking them. "NOT TODAY, DEMON!" she exclaimed, her double-bladed sword being pulled from its hilt. She quickly struck Larxene, who didn't see the attack coming, catching the nymph in her left arm. As she let out a sharp cry of pain, Maya retreated to avoid a possible counterattack.

Rani rose from the ground, trying to shake off the sharp jolt that had just struck her. Larxene, grasping her arm, saw Rani on one side of her and Maya on the other. She grinned maliciously and stuck a palm out at both of her combatants, with a huge torrent of electricity coming from each side. Maya, light on her feet from her history as a dancer, was able to avoid the attack by rolling off to a side and reflecting it with her sword; Rani, however, was still dazed from the pervious jolt, and it caught her almost where her heart was. "AHHH!" she called out in frustration before collapsing to the ground.

Lexaeus winced with each step he took towards his once-sister; the ice coating on his chest was strong magic that was weakening him. He knew that he would need to finish her off soon, or else her magic would take him down. "Take this!" Lexaeus exclaimed as he raised a huge block of earth from the ground, attempting to squash Zana with it.

It was at this exact moment, however, that someone yelled, "ATTACK!" A sharp volley of shots collided with the block of earth, destroying it; one man charged out at Lexaeus with a silver gunblade, slicing the coating of ice on his chest. It shattered the ice, but at the same time dealt tremendous damage to him.

"Huh?" Larxene asked, turning around to see what had just happened. A huge wall of flame collapsed on her, and she screamed out in pain.

A young woman with fiery red hair and a wiry build appeared, manipulating the flames. "Help your friend!" she shouted to Maya.

Maya nodded and ran towards Rani; she couldn't shake off the notion that the woman was familiar, however.

Larxene fixed Blaze with a gaze of hatred. "We're not done here!" she exclaimed, fading away into a corridor of darkness.

Blaze grinned as she disappeared, and she turned to Rani and Maya. "Is she all right?" she asked towards Maya.

Maya nodded. "The little honey's just unconscious, is all. That damned demon dealt her a couple of good blows. Thanks for the help and all." She nodded towards the people chaining up a roaring Lexaeus. "They with you?"

Blaze smiled. "Yeah, they're with me. Come on, we'll help you. Get you somewhere safe."

As Blaze and Maya walked over, with Rani being carried in Maya's arms, the man with the gunblade helped Zana to her feet.

Zana nodded to him and looked over at the chained Lexaeus, whose expression was furious. "Thank you for your assistance. Who… who are you, though?"

"I know who you are," he said, smiling, "But I guess you wouldn't know who I am, would you? My name's Ridge."

* * *

_Envisioning fear adds to the illusion that there are things worth fearing._

Alroc shook his head. "I had always thought that we were the only ones fighting. There's more? Wow. And this Ridge fellow… he does sound dangerous, for sure."

Kalua and Selena nodded in agreement. Aoen, meanwhile, had fallen asleep on the bed. Slay had stopped crying and was looking at Alay and Lexa with a look that was a mix of gratitude and fury.

"How… exactly… have you come to know this monster?" she asked slowly.

Alay shrugged. "I met him once on a mission. He told me how he came to know you and Aredek and asked me to join his army. I respectfully declined."

"Umm, that's what happened to me, too," Lexa added.

Selena was a bit confused. "Well, what I don't understand is how we've never even heard of or seen his so-called 'army'. I really don't think you can exactly hide something like that."

"Yeah, me neither! Unless this army is invisible or really short, I kind of think we'd have come across each other," Kalua added.

Nobody smiled at her attempted humor except for her. Aoen snored, and it was silent for a few seconds.

"I think it might be Aredek and Ridge making sure about this," Slay confessed. "He does still keep in close contact with that… that monster. He could coordinate our missions so we're nowhere near places where his army is, when they are."

"Aredek has always told us to come straight home after missions," Alroc commented. This could be so we don't wander the city and stumble across them."

"Probably," Slay conceded.

"There's another thing that troubles me," Selena admitted.

Everyone turned their attention towards her. "Um, Ailmus said he saw Aredek talking to Ridge here before. Does that mean that Ridge comes here often? And does he know all this about Ailmus?"

"My guess would be yes," Slay admitted furiously. "I never knew that Ridge was here. I guess that Aredek decided to keep that one secret. And hell, Ridge probably helped Aredek figure out this theory."

Alroc rose and patted her shoulder. "I can understand your anger, but holding on to these vicious feelings will only make things worse. I say that when everyone returns, we throw all of our secrets out into the open. Aredek will tell us all of his secrets."

Slay laughed cruelly. "Oh yes, because I've known him for so long and he's told me everything. He'll definitely confess all of this stuff to us now, of all times."

"I have faith in him," Alroc continued. "He's not going to let us down now."

"Yeah, he may not be mister tell-us-all-that-we-want-to-know," Kalua agreed, "But he'll surely tell us something!"

Selena smiled at that instance of humor. "He's your friend," she said, directing it to Slay, "so have faith in him like we do."

"I wish it were that easy," Slay muttered. Then she remembered where Aredek was going off to. "There's one more thing you all should know, though. Alay… I'll handle this one."

Alay thought for a few moments before realizing what – who – Slay was talking about. "Oh, her. Go ahead."

Lexa was confused. "Umm… who?"

"She's a little girl called Axxela," began Slay.

* * *

_Reckless leads to ultimate destruction._

"NO!" Arimana cried as the fire swarmed Aredek.

Surprised, Axel and Axxela both turned towards her, giving Aredek a few precious seconds to roll out of the fire, leaving him relatively unscathed.

Axel turned back to his nemesis. "Well, looks like your little girlfriend is here to save you! I was really hoping to knock around both of you, Aredek, Axxela, but three of you is more of a crowd! I'll be going now! Got it memorized?"

As he stepped through a corridor of darkness, Axxela looked at Aredek and said, "We'll talk later." She then proceeded to jump into the corridor after him before it closed.

Aredek sat on the ground, giving his new burns a few seconds to sink in and processing the events that had just unfolded. Arimana walked slowly over to him and pulled him in a hug.

"I thought that he was going to burn you up!" she exclaimed tearfully. Then she realized that she was mad at him. "And by the way, who was that girl? Who? Another secret you're keeping from us?"

Feeling slightly strangled, Aredek broke out of the hug. "Not another secret, not really. That's Axxela."

"Because that explains everything, doesn't it?"

"You want the whole story? Fine," Aredek said wistfully. "It all started towards the start of the Thirteenth Order, you know? At that time, it was just me, Slay, and Alay. Then we formally met her, and she asked to join. At first it looked like we'd say yes, but then we learned her whole story. She's a Nobody, and a former member of the Organization."

"OHMYGOD!" Selena exclaimed in shock. "Why in earth are you associating with someone like that!"

Aredek admired her fierceness and could tell that she was really shook up now, from the whole argument, to the fight, and to this realization; she tries to keep her emotions in, and she's usually kind of reserved, but he could hear the anger and sorrow and frustration creeping into her voice. "Because she's a FORMER member. Once she learned of the Dark City attacks, she quit, and even tried to stop them. But she obviously failed. She did, however, take up vigilante work like we did, and began fighting them, as we do. She's really gutsy, you know? Anyways, we didn't let her join because of her employment history, and she was cool with it. I kept up with her because I knew that she was a potential ally in the future, if we ever went out on a full-scale war. She has informed me of all of the Organization's dirty little secrets – at least the ones that she knew about – and I've helped keep her up with the Order. Slay's the only one who knows that I even talk to her anymore."

"Oh, so she's just a friend? Slay seemed pretty upset about her, pretty jealous. I think that's enough reason not to really believe you, based on that and previous stuff that's now coming to light. Whatever. Anyways, is she some kind of monster too, like that Ridge guy that Slay mentioned? Dangerous?"

Aredek shook his head. "Slay just doesn't like – or trust – many people at all, and Axxela is one of them. So that's nothing really. Slay feels that we have all we need inside our group, but she's wrong. We need friends, other people that we can count on and depend on. Like Axxela. And like Ridge."

"So who IS this Ridge man, exactly? Tell me now. I deserve to know the truth."

"I… I'll tell everyone. Everybody will know the truth when we get back. I'll come clean. We… we need to band together now more than ever."

"Why? What's so ever-important?"

Aredek thought about what he had sworn to Axxela about attacking the Organization, and he realized that he needed to confess everything. "What is it?" Arimana demanded.

"Arimana, I… I love you. Seriously," Aredek blurted out. And with that, he jumped off the rooftop and raced back on his way to headquarters, leaving a stunned Arimana behind him.

* * *

_Anguish is a necessary emotion. It is one that friends can help you through… or cause._

"Ridge?" Zana asked. This was who she had been searching for, she knew it. The man Ailmus had talked about. The person Aredek and Slay feuded over. This was him.

"Hey, Ridge, these two are okay as well," Blaze began, "But the nymph got away."

Ridge nodded. "We did somehow manage to capture the Hulk over here, though," he replied, motioning over to Lexaeus.

Zana looked over at the look of pure and absolute fury on Lexaeus' face as Maya stood next to her. "How'd you last, sugar? You all good?"

"I am well," Zana stated. "How is Number X?"

"She's fine. Just a few good blows is all the little honey got stuck with."

Ridge looked over the girls. "You sure fight well. How would you feel about joining my army?"

"How do you know Aredek?" Zana asked suddenly.

Both Maya and Ridge were surprised. Ridge smiled. "I should've known that fighters this good were part of the Order. See, I knew Aredek and Slay before they had even formed the Order; they were part of my army for a while too. But they left. We've met up with Alay and Lexa as well. They turned me down."

"Why doesn't Slay trust you?" Zana asked bluntly.

Ridge's face darkened over. "Because I'm willing to use whatever means necessary to take back my city. If a few buildings end up in ruins while I fight the Organization, then so be it. As long as I get this place back."

Blaze smiled. "He's usually pretty good at not leaving buildings in ruins, however."

Before anyone could say anything else, Lexaeus let out a giant roar. His captors – about a half-dozen of Ridge's army – were blown off their feet. Lexaeus grinned and began to run off into the distance.

One of the army – a man about eighteen with shaggy white hair and a firm build, in a black t-shirt and jeans with a camouflage jacket and hat – got up to his feet and reported to Ridge.

"Sir Ridge, should we give pursuit?" he asked.

Ridge contemplated it. "No, Lt. Castor, he's gone."

"Should we report back to base, then?" Castor asked.

"We'll wait on our friends here. Stand by."

Blaze grinned. "So, will you join us?"

Maya and Zana exchanged glances. "Well, sugars," Maya said, turning to them, "We already have a home."

Ridge sighed. "That's just what the others said as well."

"You're injured, however," Blaze pointed out, "And there are probably other Organization members lurking about somewhere. At least tell us maybe, come back to camp with us, rest, and decide later. All right?"

"Please allow us to reach a decision for one moment," Zana requested.

She pulled Maya, still cradling Rani in her arms, over. "We need answers. I say that we accept their offer of hospitality."

"Hospitality? Fine, sugar. But I hope that you don't intend to join this man's ranks, do you?" Maya asked with concern.

Zana shrugged. "We shall see."

And with that, they walked back over to Ridge and Blaze, and with Castor and the others forming a protective circle around them, they proceeded to go to Ridge's army base.

* * *

**I am so sorry for being so late with an update. You must all be furious with me. I would be too. But I hope this chapter was enough to prevent you from viciously murdering me with you're artificial Keyblade that you made yourself! Or… was that… just me…? Anyways, here it is! More mysteries, and things revealed, and some epic battles too! I hope to update again really soon!**

**By the way, could you all please submit physical appearances of your characters? I can't believe that I left that out of the original application, and am only asking for them now!**

**Another by the way, if you want to submit any more original characters that are members of Ridge's army or part of Slay's guild, go right ahead! Please and thank you!**


	21. Chapter VII

Aredek raced back to headquarters. He needed to get there, he needed to be there. There was so much that needed to be explained, and it was finally time to take a stand.

"AREDEK!" Arimana called after him. She was in a huge blur of emotions now – fear, confusion. Aredek had told her that he loved her. What was he supposed to feel? The same way? She'd never thought about it before. She didn't think she had time to think about it now. "DON'T YOU RUN AWAY NOW!"

Aredek shook his head. He had expected her mood to take a swing for the better when he dropped the bomb. Not so much in reality. All he could hope for, though, was that he got home before anything happened. He needed to make sure that they were safe.

* * *

The group sat in the aftermath of learning about the little girl named Axxela. Before they could give any comments, however, they all heard a sudden crash. "What was that?" Alroc called, shooting up.

Slay and Lexa exchanged glances. It was time to take charge. Sensing that Slay was in no way able to fight, it was up to her. "Alroc, Selena, Kalua!" she called. "Come with me downstairs – let's go investigate." She nodded at Slay. "Take Lexa and Aoen to Ailmus. We need to protect him – that's their endgame. Okay?"

"What if it's them?" Aoen asked with a quiver in her voice.

Alay put on a brave face. "Then we'll stop them!"

The four raced downstairs, while Slay grabbed Aoen and, with Lexa, they hurried up to Ailmus.

Alroc notched an arrow on the way down with a grim face. "At least it's a nice night for it," he called. He was the first to leap into the meeting room. Naturally, he was the first one to be encased in a giant block of ice.

"ALROC!" Selena screeched. Alroc just didn't move, the same expression on his face.

"Come out to play!" came a shrill voice.

'Vexen,' Kalua mouthed to Alay. They were taking shelter behind the walls, deciding to not charge in. That strategy had obviously failed them.

"Crazy scientist," came an expressionless tone. "If we are to defeat them, we are to crush them."

Kalua's big, sea-green eyes began to tear up for a split second. Saïx. Her brother. This would not go well. She locked eyes with Alay, who nodded, and then… "CHARGE!" Kalua belted out.

She drew several sheets of paper out from her messenger bag and formed a sharp guang dao – a type of Chinese spear – and went straight for Saïx, who unfortunately saw it coming. He swept his claymore at her and she was barely able to avoid its reach.

Meanwhile, Alay's voodoo doll transformed into a plushie version of Vexen. While she was working on making it into a life-sized replica, Selena was busy swatting at Vexen with her fighting fans, but they weren't making much of an impact due to his shield.

"My, my, my!" Vexen cackled. "You fools seem to be missing a few screws! You see, I only came to lend you a hand!"

"Bloody hell you did!" Selena bellowed furiously, wanting him to pay for harming Alroc. She had grown close to him, and wasn't about to let him go. "You release my friend, or else, I don't give a damn what happens to you!"

Vexen rolled his eyes. "Your insincerity is comforting." He quickly slashed out at her with his shield and managed to scrape her arm.

"SELENA, just a little more!" Alay cried, working furiously on her puppet.

Before Selena could even get an assessment of her wound, Vexen charged in again. His bangs danced in his face, framing a devilish grin. "Oh ho! So it's a fight you want. Very good—I shall take you on!" And with that he lunged in at Selena again.

She raised a hand to deflect his blow, but the shield was too strong, and, regrettably, too sharp. It sliced right through her skin, and Selena's hand limply fell to the ground, and blood began to pour out.

"AHHHH!" Selena screeched, collapsing, kneeling on the ground, clinging onto her stump of an arm.

"NO!" Alay bellowed. She stood up next to the full-sized voodoo version of Vexen and shouted, "Blizzard!"

Voodoo-Vexen shot out two blasts of Blizzard magic, and although Vexen dodged, the attacks weren't aimed at him – one covered Selena's stump, and the other her decapitated hand.

Alay put a hand on her friend's shoulder as Vexen smirked. "Take it, go upstairs – we'll try to fix it later. Tell them we need reinforcements something desperate."

The tears were streaming down her face now. She didn't move.

"Did you hear me?"

Selena looked at her with tears in her eyes, her face – everywhere. "I heard you. But I'm not letting Alroc down. And I'm going to make this SOB pay for what he did to me."

"That's… admirable," Alay said, pulling her friend up. The two faced the Chilly Academic together.

Vexen cackled. "How could you be humbled by someone of such limited significance? You fools. You soon shall perish!"

As he raced towards them, his shield raised, the Voodoo-Vexen landed in-between them. He grasped the real Vexen's shield, ripped it from his hand, and tossed it aside.

Vexen whimpered cowardly then.

Carnage reigned, meanwhile, between Kalua and Saïx.

"HOW COULD YOU DARE TO COME HERE, INTO MY HOME, ATTACK MY FRIENDS, YOU WORTHLESS BASTARD!" she screeched, throwing hit after hit onto her former brother's claymore but to limited effect.

Saïx yawned and swung at her again with his claymore, catching her and sending her spiraling into the air.

She winced at a sharp burst of pain coming from her leg. She tried to scramble to her feet but fell down, instead trying to desperately crawl away. Saïx descended upon her. "Are you angry? Do you hate me?"

He raised Lunatic and dove in for the kill.

* * *

The procession finally arrived at a big, shabby-looking building. Ridge grinned and spread his arms wide open. "Well, girls, welcome to our humble abode!"

Maya and Zana eyed the building; Rani, who had recently awakened, yawned and rubbed her eyes. "Honestly, sugar," Maya began, "This doesn't seem like much."

Castor and Ridge smiled at each other. "Well, I've teched the place up a bit," Castor admitted. "Inside is one of the finest military bases ever built – heck, ever dreamed of, brought to life!"

Zana shrugged. "This is all very nice. But before we rest, I would like to get the conversation out of the way." She fixed Ridge with a cold, stern gaze. "Number VII and I will converse with you and the flame-haired woman, who I take to be your second-in-command. It is best if we got the awkward moments done with first."

Seeming to assume that this meeting excluded her, Rani angrily called, "Hey! Little miss Ice Queen, I'm here too! I'm part of this! I'd like to give a right piece of my mind to this bastard too!" **(For some reason, I've always pictured Rani with a Scottish accent o.O)**

Before Zana could fire back, Blaze stepped forward. "Castor would be more than happy to give you a tour, wouldn't you, Castor?"

Castor flashed Rani a flirty smile and wink. "That I would, madam Blaze. Let me show you the sights."

Castor led Rani and the other soldiers into a dilapidated door. Stepping in revealed it to be anything but – sheik walls, shining white floors and walls with all sorts of machines and wires running all over the place. Rani noticed tons of soldiers milling about, tending wounds or playing cards.

One of the card-players stepped forward and smiled smoothly. "So Castor, who's the pretty lady you picked up?"

The others laughed; clearly this was something he did often. "Back off, Manji," he began with a smirk, "This here is Rani! She's only visiting, though. I'm here to give her a tour of the facilities."

"Is she taken? Because if she's not, I'd be happy to do the taking," Manji said with a wink. His green bangs fell into his face, though, leaving the effect a bit lessened.

"No thanks," Rani began, rolling her eyes, "I've had my share of conceited bastards for this lifetime. Try me in the afterlife."

As Manji walked back over to his friends, Rani could hear things to the effect of, "BURN!"

"So," Castor began, "That was Manji, our resident pig." They continued to walk through the halls. "There's the mess hall… barracks… infirmary…"

A disheveled-looking woman came up to Castor with red eyes matching messy red hair. "Castor, when's the next grief meeting?"

He smiled at her. "Soon, Carol. Probably two days."

As Carol walked away from them, Rani asked, "Grief group? What for?"

Castor seemed to ignore the question, though, and Rani, for once, let the subject drop. They continued on the tour, Castor pointing out several locations and explaining the significance of several machines. They eventually climbed a rather long staircase and came out on the roof of the building; Castor led the way over to the railing and they stood, looking at the city below, the wind blowing in their hair.

"It's for people who've lost family to the war," he said, his voice barely louder than a whisper.

"What? What're you on about?" Rani asked, confused. Her long, black hair billowed in the wind.

"The grief group," Castor began to explain. "Tons of us… almost every single person here… we've all lost someone to this war. A spouse… parents… siblings… It's not always easy to get over, you know? So I… I'm like a grief counselor to them. Help them get over it."

When they'd first met, Rani had seen Castor as a strong fighter with a sense of humor. Now he was revealing this whole new side to him – a relatable side. She saw that his humor – probably Manji's humor as well – were just tools to cope with it. Her hotheadedness… it was much the same. She found herself relating with him.

"Hey, I know how you feel. Those Organization bastards, they took my brother away from me. It's like that for a lot of us Order members. My brother, Fred… he was like a twin to me, you know? And they just freaking killed him, just killed him like that."

Castor was silent for a few seconds. He motioned her over to the other side of the roof, and she noticed a large garden with all sorts of plants and flowers growing in it.

"What is it?" she asked quietly. The serenity of it all was somewhat calming. Whereas she normally was hotheaded beyond belief, here she could just relax and be in a safe place.

"It's a memorial garden," Castor explained. He knelt to the ground. "We plant flowers in memory of our loved ones."

Rani read off some of the index cards used to indicate names:

_R.I.P. James and Lily, killed in Halloween of last year._

_Tonks, Remus – We'll always remember you._

_Sirius, Alastor, Florean, Tom, Peter, Hedwig – from your last family. Manji ~_

It seemed surreal that so many people could've lost so many of their family members. She glanced over at where Castor was kneeling and saw him silently weeping into his hands. The card on some white roses read: _Colin, I'll keep fighting for you every day. You won't have died in vain. I'll honor you – Castor_.

"They… they took him. Right from me. We were just trying to escape, and the gambler in a black cloak… called it 'calculating an unprecedented risk, a worthy gamble' – killed my brother Colin. He was much too young to be fighting, mind you… I couldn't handle it. Ridge's army was where I fit in. They were a home to me. And now… I fight for Colin every day."

Castor was full blown weeping now. Rani put a reassuring hand on his shoulder and pulled him up, and the two embraced.

"Castor, I know how you feel. Those bitches… they will pay. Especially the gambler. He ruined me much in the same way. He's as bad as they come, trying to judge his wrongdoings as 'risks that need to be gambled.' The absolute worst kind. But we're going to avenge Colin, Fred – all of those who perished because of those bastards."

Castor pulled away and wiped his eyes. "I know this isn't right. Here I am, fighting for him, and yet even thinking about my brother turns me into a train wreck."

"It's all right. We've all been there. We all know the feeling."

Castor attempted a grin at her. "Thanks. They do grief counseling at your Order?"

Rani snorted. "As if. Most of them don't speak nothing about nothing about the past – it's all about the future with us. It felt nice to kind of get it off my chest, y'know? And with someone who really understands, too."

The two just stared at each other for a few seconds. Then Castor smiled shrewdly and said, "War's horrible, you know. Never know how long you have until it's too late."

"Oh yes," Rani continued. "It's horrible. We could die at any given moment! It's tragic!"

And then they leaned in and kissed. Castor's first since the invasion. Rani's first in general. Sparks flew.

And then the explosion went off, and real sparks flew.

* * *

Kalua fixed her brother with a stern gaze as he swung down to kill her, not wanting him to think she was scared. That was the only reason she saw Aredek fly through the air and knock into Saïx, sending him crashing into the wall.

He turned to her and grinned. "Need a hand?"

On the other side, the Voodoo-Vexen hoisted the real Vexen into the air and threw him with a brute force, sending him flying – and screeching 'AIYEEEEEE!' – into Saïx, who had just risen.

"Aredek!" Alay squealed as she and Selena regrouped with him and Kalua. "You're back! Just in time, too!"

Saïx helped Vexen to his feet, smirking. "If I had a heart, this would be where I die of laughter. You forget your anger at that pitiful rat bastard as soon as he comes rushing back to your side."

Kalua had intended to screech at him, but Selena got there first. "You will NOT speak to Aredek in that manner!"

Vexen laughed shrilly as Saïx replied, "I'll call that thing whatever I please."

At that moment, Arimana came rushing in, yelling, "AREDEK!"

Saïx took a step back and Vexen nearly peed himself. "Saïx, I'm not one for physical labor, but if getting dirty calls for it, it's understandable. On the other hand, I have no wishes to go on a suicide mission!" He quickly disappeared into a Corridor of Darkness.

Saïx sighed. "As much as I hate to agree with that spineless coward of a scientist, he is right in this manner. Suicide will not bring about our goals." He fixed Aredek with a stern glance. "We will be coming at full force next time. Surrendering the boy would be much easier, and pointless blood would not have to be shed."

Aredek spat at him. "Never, you pitiful rat bastard."

"So be it," Saïx smirked, disappearing into the Corridor as it evaporated.

"Where were you?" Alay asked, the realization of Aredek's disappearance and the Organization's assault finally sinking in.

"Tell her, Aredek!" Arimana screeched, laughing hollowly. Then she noticed Selena's predicament. "And OHMYGOD, Selena! What happened to… your… hand!"

Selena tried to smile through the tears. "A minor incident. Nothing horrible. What's the plan, Aredek?"

Aredek turned towards the frozen Alroc. "How… Alroc…"

Alay waved it off. "I have it. Unfreeze!" she commanded, and the Voodoo-Vexen shot out a Blizzard that unfroze Alroc, melting away the ice.

"Aredek!" he exclaimed.

Aredek shook his head. "Go upstairs. Get Slay, Lexa, Ailmus, Maya, Rani, Aoen, and Zana, and bring them down here now."

Alroc hesitated for a second, and then nodded and ran.

"Aredek," Kalua began, "Maya, Rani, and Zana aren't here."

"Um… then where… where are they?" Aredek asked, anger in his voice.

"They kind of ran into the city," Kalua answered, a slight grin crossing her round face.

"WHAT?" Aredek shouted out.

"Calm yourself!" Arimana exclaimed, cradling Selena. "Can't you see that Selena is hurt? We need to help her!"

"WE WILL!" Aredek exclaimed, turning on her. "I can't deal with this all now. I AM HAVING AN OVERLOAD. CUT ME A BREAK, PLEASE. You think I don't care? I DO. But calm _yourself_ first. There's so much I need to tell all of you – and I mean _all _of you."

It was at that second Slay, Lexa, Aoen, and Ailmus walked in, led by Alroc. "What's going on, Aredek?" Alroc asked eagerly.

Aredek looked around at all of his comrades. "I've got a plan. An endgame to counter the Organization's endgame," he began to explain.

This news was reacted to with cheers from the others. "But first off," he continued, "We need to all be together. And not just the ones missing," he began, fixing Slay with a gaze. "We need an army -"

"Ridge's army? Slay told us all. And about Axxela as well."

Aredek took this as an inward victory. "Awesome, guys. But that's not exactly what I meant. I meant an army of all of us. Our Order, Ridge's army – anyone. For this endgame to work, we need to gather up everyone we can possibly muster." He turned to Slay. "And that's why I'd like you to get your students."

"My students?" Slay asked, shocked. Aredek had always supported her guild. He hadn't ever really seen eye-to-eye with her students, however, and was likely never to. It was a big step if he was asking for their help. "You want them?"

"No, I need them," he said, looking out at all of them. "And, as I recall, one of them has healing properties. Take Selena with you, and Kalua as back-up. Any arguments?"

"Will they be able to fix my hand?" Selena asked in a whisper.

"I hope so," Aredek smiled back. "Now go guys, and hurry! Meet us at the safehouse"

Before they left, Slay met his eyes. "It's good to have our leader back."

"Now, Aoen, Ailmus, Lexa, Alay, Arimana – We need to protect Ailmus. Alay, lead your motley crew over to the safehouse."

Arimana rolled her eyes, upset over the argument. "Why should we listen to you? All of the secrets?"

"Now's not the time for this," Lexa argued, pulling Arimana away. "We need to protect Ailmus." She locked eyes with Aredek. "Alay and I will protect them. Go, find the others. We'll do what we can."

"Ailmus is going to be a good boy on the road trip!" Ailmus exclaimed.

"YAY! Road trips are very fun!" Aoen agreed. "Bobo and I will be on our best behavior!"

Kalua slapped her forehead. "This'll be one heck of a road trip. Take care of yourselves, boys, okay?"

And that just left Alroc and Aredek. "Alroc, listen, I know things have been pretty tough lately, and things are moving really fast, and -"

Alroc silenced him with a friendly smile and a hand on his shoulder. "You don't need to explain anything to me. I have trust in your judgment. These people, Ridge and Axxela – Slay may not like them, but you have faith in your friends. And although I haven't had the exact privilege of meeting Slay's apprentices, they come on high reputation from her. So whatever this endgame happens to be, I have the utmost faith in you that we will be able to pull it off. You've never let me down before, and I have no reason to believe that you will now."

Aredek grinned. "Thanks buddy. Now let's go find our renegade members."

"Zana isn't exactly thrilled with you lately."

"I thought she'd feel that way."

"You know where they are?"

"I believe that I do."

"Arimana's furious. You told her you loved her, didn't you?"

"Always one step ahead of me, buddy."

The two friends raced out of headquarters, but Aredek grabbed Alroc's arm to stop him from going any further. "Hold on."

He kicked over a rock that was near the entrance. There was a button under it. "What's that for?"

Aredek answered by pushing it with his foot. The entire headquarters – the place that they'd all called home for so long, the place they spent so much time together – exploded. Detonated. However you want to put it. When the smoke faded, it was gone.

Alroc's jaw dropped. Aredek only grinned and said, "Well, let's go now, why don't we?"

* * *

Blaze, Zana, Maya, and Ridge all filed into his office. He had important papers all over the place and official-looking documents scattered everywhere. Before the actual discussions began, Ridge pushed a button to activate the building's intercom and spoke into the speaker. "Will Hermione please come to my office?"

A few seconds later, a girl with bushy brown hair walked into the office. "Yes, sir?"

"A protective bubble, please. We don't want the others eavesdropping."

"Yes, sir," she answered, and then left the office.

Maya fixed Ridge with a puzzled look. "Who was that?"

"One of our soldiers," Blaze explained. "Protective bubbles and whatnot. Her specialty. We use her as a kind of voice box so the others can't hear what we say in here."

"Speaking of what we're saying in here," Zana began, "I'd prefer if we skipped the formalities and got right down to it. We'd like to hear the story of you and Aredek, and we'd like to hear it now. Then we'd like to hear you attempt to persuade us to join your ranks. Then we will make a decision, and whatever it is, we will accept your offer of hospitality until we are certain of our health. At that point we will return home. Understand?"

Ridge nodded. "A girl that knows what she wants. No arguments there. Miss Ice Queen, as your friends seem to call you, where should I start? At the point where I did meet Aredek, or the point where it would start to affect you?"

"The very beginning, if you don't mind. I'm sure that it'll all tie in eventually."

"Well, it's actually rather complicated. It started off as me, Aredek, and our other friend. That guy – he's the guy you should be focusing on. All-powerful, unstoppable – shame he had to perish."

Zana was mildly taken aback. "Another guy? You mean… there was a trio?"

"Of course! Aredek and I were just a bunch of kids at first. There's no way that we would've been anything without him, just a bunch of wannabe vigilantes. You see, he had a Keyblade."

"I've heard that those are quite rare. They only bestow themselves on certain individuals."

"That would be correct. He did deserve it. Although he was powerful and whatnot, he didn't like being in the main focus of things. He liked staying in the background – helping out, influencing everything else, but at the same time staying hidden. He was a real Keyblade master."

"So who was he? How did he perish? What does he have anything to do with any of this at all?"

"He's the person who drew us together. Basically he has everything to do with all of this. I wouldn't be here, Aredek wouldn't be here without him. He drew us together."

Zana didn't get the chance to ask another question due to a certain person arriving at the entrance and bellowing, "RIDGE! WHERE ARE THEY?"

Ridge smirked. "That would be your leader here." He nodded at Blaze. "She'll escort you to him. I'll be down shortly; I have some matters to discuss with Hermione. Send her in on your way out, why don't you?"

Blaze nodded. "Let's go, ladies!" Neither of them moved, however.

"No offense, sugar, but me and the little honey over here are getting rather mighty curious about this Keyblade-master-man," Maya explained. "We'd rather he finished his story before we visited our leader."

"Number I can wait for us. We are owed an explanation, and I intend to get it," Zana replied.

Ridge smiled and waved his hands. "Talk to him. I'm sure he's worried sick! Please, go."

Blaze ignited her hands in fire. "I'm not afraid to use force to have you ladies leave this office. Now, for the last time, let's go. Sir Ridge requests you to go talk to Aredek."

Maya and Zana glanced at each other. "We will comply to your request, _sir Ridge_," Zana told him sarcastically, "But we intend to come back."

"Wouldn't have it any other way, Ice Queen!" Ridge called after her.

As they left the office, Blaze tapped Hermione and told her, "Sir Ridge requests your presence. I think it might be a Code Four."

Hermione nodded in that same lazy way that she seemed to do everything. "No problem, madam Blaze."

"Now let's go, ladies!" Blaze said cheerfully, although one of her hands was still ignited. On their way down, they noticed Castor and Rani passing by and entering a long staircase. "Roof," Blaze explained, and in no time they trio had gotten to the bottom.

Aredek and Alroc were there to greet them. "Where's Rani?" Alroc asked, glancing around.

"The roof," Blaze said, shaking off the question. She extended a hand to Alroc. "I'm Blaze, pleased to meet you. Judging from the description I have of you, I'd hazard a guess that you're Alroc?"

Alroc shook her hand, a puzzled expression on his face. "Yes, that's me. Blaze… now why does that sound so familiar?"

Aredek was having a stare-down with Zana while Maya looked on nervously. "I explicitly asked you not to venture into the city," he began. "You didn't bother to wonder why I said that."

"Because you obviously didn't trust us enough to think that we'd be able to handle the truth," Zana stated calmly.

Noticing the daggers in Aredek's eyes, Maya shook her head. "Now calm down, sugar."

Aredek wasn't hearing any of it, though. "Oh, I don't trust you? Right. One of the earliest members of my group who I've never lied to, who I'd sell everything I had to. Who I've done everything for. You're just really picking a fight here, Zana. I've had a very rough day."

"So have we, Number I. We encountered two members of the Organization. And if it's a fight you think I'm picking," she said, summoning her armor, "I'd be most obliged to provide you with it."

Aredek shrugged, summoning his spear. "Let's begin, then," he said. And then he pushed Zana back several feet with a gust of wind.

Zana, in turn, shot forward and grasped Aredek's throat with her armored hand, slowly choking and freezing him.

"ZANA!" Alroc exclaimed as Aredek's throat turned blue. His slicked black hair shuddered as he quickly notched an arrow at Zana and shot it, catching her in her hand and forcing her to let go of Aredek.

Aredek took this opportunity to lunge forward and stab at Zana with his spear, catching her in the right calf. The armor prevented it from making a gash on her, but she still kneeled down from the pain.

"So that's how you want to play?" Zana asked with a devilish grin and a fierce fire in her eyes. Neither Aredek nor Alroc had ever seen her act like this before and it was somewhat unnerving.

She shot back up rapidly and shot a fast Blizzard magic at both Aredek and Alroc, who quickly Dodge Rolled out of the way. Alroc knelt on one knee and notched another arrow, catching Zana in her shoulder; it was somehow able to find a chink in the armor and stick into her skin.

"AAH!" she screeched in pain. Aredek shot forward and pushed a strong blast of wind at her, sending her flying into the building where she crumpled down to the ground.

Alroc notched another arrow and Aredek prepared to advance when Maya shook her head. "NO! THIS IS ENOUGH!"

Aredek and Alroc turned to face her. "THE THREE OF YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES! We are all supposed to be a team. Killing each other is _not going to solve anything_! Now you boys go help her up! I can't believe this!"

Aredek and Alroc harbored guilty expressions. "You're right, Maya," Aredek acknowledged, ashamed of himself.

"We were senseless," Alroc agreed.

As the two went forward to go help Zana, a huge explosion detonated inside of the building. A huge, fiery, destructive, catastrophic explosion that ended up sending part of it flying off and crashing down onto the ground. And on top of Zana.

"ZANA!" Alroc, Aredek, and Maya shouted out in unison, running towards the pile of rubble that now contained her.

"NO! RIDGE! RIDGE!" Blaze cried, huge tears forming in her eyes. "YOU _CANNOT_ BE DEAD! RIDGE! NO!"

* * *

Selena, Kalua, and Slay rushed through the night towards Slay's dojo. A trio of Dancer Nobodies appeared in their path; Slay's auburn, shoulder-length hair flowed as she shot out three powerful jabs, taking out each one. Kalua raced past, cradling Selena's frozen hand, and Selena held her frozen stub in her good hand.

"Make a sharp right, now!" Slay commanded, and the motley crew turned abruptly to see a rundown building with mold on all of the corners. They stopped short.

"So, uh, is this your dojo or the trash heap?" Kalua chuckled.

Slay rolled her eyes. "It's the front for my dojo. That's why they've never been able to find me."

"Because your dojo is hidden behind the dump?"

"No, stupid, because my dojo _is_ the dump."

"…Oh."

"Let's just get inside and try to fix my little predicament," Selena said. "I really want to just get my entire body back."

"Yeah, you could really use a hand!" Kalua said, laughing. "Get it? _Hand_?" she chuckled, pointing to the frozen hand encased in the ice.

Selena and Slay just glared at her.

"Too soon?"

Ignoring her, Selena followed Slay into the dilapidated door and saw three people exercising and working out with some punching dummies and punching bags. Upon noticing Slay's presence, they all filed into a straight line, and Kalua and Selena were able to get a clear look at them.

All of them were wearing black robes, and first off was an average-heighted, brawny thirteen-year-old with blond hair, green eyes, and peach skin. He had a black karate belt on with metallic knuckles on his fingers and a keyboard strapped to his back.

The second one of them was a muscled seventeen-year-old with shaggy green hair, brown eyes, and dark skin. His belt was green with a sheath attached to it and he was carrying a backpack.

The third one was the only girl. She looked about seventeen as well, and was somewhat tall with long, thick, shining black hair. She had thin lips, dark, heavy-lidded eyes, a strong jaw, light skin, and brown eyes. She held a short knife made of silver, sharpened to a point, in each hand.

"Ozamu! Hugo! Bellatrix!" Slay called, yelling out each of their names in order. "We have a very serious issue here! That is the issue of Selena's hand. We have frozen both the stump and the hand. Ozamu, tell me that there's _something_ you can do for her!"

Ozamu stepped forward. "Selena, is it? Here's a chair… sit in it… now let me see. Hmmm… this does seem rather… bad… oh… well, I see."

"What's the deal, doc?" Kalua asked sarcastically.

"Well, good news first! We can fix her hand!"

"OHEMGEE!" Selena exclaimed. "Seriously? Thank you!"

"Wait," Ozamu interrupted. "There's bad news. I can regrow the bones for your hand. But I can't actually reattach the hand. Normally, freezing the skin is good to preserve the cells. But whatever was used to sever the hand killed the cells on contact. No possible way to fix it. We can regrow the bones and muscles automatically, but it could take some time for the skin itself to regrow." He handed Selena a glove. "You'll need this to cover it. It'll give your fragile hand bones more support."

Selena smiled. "Thank you, Ozamu. Let's melt off this ice cube first."

Slay nodded at Hugo and Bellatrix. "You two take Kalua to the rest room. I'll wait here with them. As soon as she has her bones back, we'll talk."

Bellatrix nodded. "Alrighty then, right this way, Kalua!"

As Bellatrix led the way, Hugo shook hands with Kalua. "Sup? I'm Hugo. The resident expert specialist!"

Kalua rolled her eyes. "Real impressive."

As soon as they were filed into the room, Bellatrix turned on Kalua. "What's going on? Why has Slay brought you here? What's going on?"

"Well, honestly, we don't even know," Kalua explained. "Our leader just stormed in and was like all 'BLAH BLAH BLAH I'M AREDEK AND WE NEED AN ARMY BLAH BLAH BLAH'. So now we're here. 'Cuz we figured that you guys would be part of that army."

"Oh, okay, sure, we'll just sign up for some random army for some random assignment for some random reason. Makes total sense," Hugo replied sarcastically.

"Aredek said that it would be our endgame against the Organization," Kalua mentioned in passing.

Hugo and Bellatrix stood frozen. "Like… a final plan? To finally end them?" Bellatrix asked in a state of disbelief.

"Yep. Exactly like that."

"Okay, we're soooo in then!" Hugo exclaimed.

"GUYS!" Slay exclaimed from outside. "WE HAVE A SITUATION!"

The three raced out of the room to find Selena – with a new gloved hand – battling several Dusk Nobodies with some help from Ozamu. Slay was handling a Sorcerer.

"They've uncovered our location!" she exclaimed. "We need to escape. NOW. Before they call in their superiors."

"Let's go!" Bellatrix exclaimed, racing in and stabbing – and taking down – two Dusks. Hugo grabbed a boomerang from his backpack, tossed it, and knocked several Dusks to the ground. Kalua descended upon them with a sword she created from her tote bag and took them out.

Just as another swarm of Nobodies flooded into the dojo, and Slay realized how outnumbered they were. "TACTICAL RETREAT!" she cried out.

"_What_?" Bellatrix called. "_Retreat_? That word isn't in my vocabulary! We aren't spineless cowards! We are here to fight!" Right then another wave of Nobodies flooded in. "On second thought, I agree!"

The six raced out of the dojo, taking out as many Dusks as they could on their way out; the Nobody that Slay had been fighting against was limping loosely along. As soon as they were all out, Slay kicked over a rock and there was a button under it. She pushed it with her foot…. And nothing happened.

"What's that supposed to do…" Hugo asked curiously.

Slay sighed. "Hold up." She pushed it again, and the dojo exploded. Detonated. Burned to the ground, taking all of the Nobodies with it.

The six just stood and watched the burnt remains.

"Now what?" Ozamu pondered.

"Now, we venture to the safehouse!" Slay ordered, and the six raced on.

* * *

"Is Ailmus there yet?" Ailmus wondered.

"Are we there yet?" Aoen wondered.

"Please be quiet!" Lexa groaned.

Alay looked around. "Where'd Arimana go?"

Lexa shrugged. "Probably went after Aredek and Alroc. Where else? She's so pissed off at him she'd rather go and bite his head off then protect Ailmus."

"That's real nice of her."

"Totally."

"Is Ailmus there yet NOW?" Ailmus wondered loudly. "Ailmus wants to get to the safehouse so the Organization will not take Ailmus and use Ailmus to kill all of Ailmus' friends and home!"

"Aoen doesn't want to be killed by Ailmus!" Aoen agreed.

Lexa groaned. "Not another one talking in third person!"

"Our job sucks," Alay whined. "We better get to the safehouse soon, because if we don't, I'm going to kill them before the Organization does."

* * *

_The scene was utter chaos. Up on the roof, two figures bloodied and injured. Were they alive? Had they perished? In the bottom, one distraught woman had to be restrained by another as two young men rushed into the wreckage. Their friend was buried beneath – had she perished as well? Another woman descends upon the scene with anger in mind, and seeing the wreckage, rushes onto the scene to help. She doesn't even reach the wreckage before breaking down crying. And nothing can be told of the horrors that lay inside the building – the countless dead bodies. What kind of horrible people could've caused such wreckage and destruction?_

* * *

**So, I'm sorry for another massively late update. But at least I was finally able to get it out! YEAH! And I think that some questions might've been answered, some new characters were thrown in, a lot of drama has erupted, more questions were raised, and whatnot! And the ROMANCE!**

**I had tons of Harry Potter references hidden in this chapter. Because I love it sososososososo much and can't believe that it's over :( And yes, you have seen the Keyblade Master somewhere in the story before!**

**And opinion so far on Castor, Manji, Hermione, Ozamu, Hugo, and Bellatrix? On Castor and Rani being paired together? On the ongoing drama in the Order? On Selena's predicament?**

**Sorry if things felt a bit rushed here :/**


	22. Chapter VIII

_When all possible sense of levity is lost..._

The scene was utter chaos unfolding everywhere. Up on the rooftop of the building, two people were lying unconscious, with heavy gashes upon them.

Rani was the first to stir, a wound from her head bleeding, dripping blood all over her cloak. She shook her head in an attempt to process what had just unfolded, before noticing Castor still lying there. "Castor…" she muttered, trying to shake him awake.

Castor muttered something that Rani couldn't understand, but she was glad to learn that he was alive. "Don't strain yourself now, Castor! Slow and easy."

He slowly rose to his feet, with Rani's assistance. "What… what happened?" There was still soot falling down upon them. The memorial garden had been blown to pieces; there wasn't a single flower left to commemorate their loved ones. Castor shook with anger. "What _happened_?"

Angered as well, Rani shouted to the skies, "VENGANCE!" She charged through the rooftop door and hurried down the stairs; Castor was right behind her.

He almost collided into her at the bottom of the stairs, though, for she'd stopped abruptly, her hand covering her mouth. It didn't take much to figure out why. "No… no, no, NO!" he exclaimed, his blue eyes filling with tears. Everywhere he looked there were dead soldiers. The explosion had killed them all.

He broke down on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. Rani wasn't sure what to do. Here was somebody who had already lost so much and now lost everyone near and dear to him. What could she do?

She heard a muffled sound and turned her head in shock – someone was crawling towards them, her arms coated in blood from wounds on each arm. "Castor! A survivor!" Rani exclaimed as she hurried over to the girl.

Castor wiped off his eyes and followed her. They turned the girl on her back and got a good look at her face. "Raya," he said slowly, a small grin coming on his face. He hadn't lost everyone.

"Lt. Castor," she muttered. "The light.. it… it's so close.."

Castor picked her up in his arms – she was about 15, average build. "I'm not going to lose you too, Raya. We're going to get you help. Rani, let's go!"

Castor, with Raya in arms, led the way out of the building, and Rani followed, not speaking, but thinking. _These soldiers share such a bond_, she reflected. _Like our Order, but closer. They don't keep secrets from each other. They're open, they share their losses. They're not a group, not an army. They're a family._

She tried not to pay attention to all of the deceased that were all upon the ground as they raced out. Some of them looked so young too. Lives casually taken by the Organization, just collateral damage as long as they get what they wanted. She noticed someone familiar, and it was then she noticed the woman as Carol. The women who'd been waiting for the grief group that would never come. A few minutes later, there was Manji as well, the card-player that had hit on her. He still had the ghost of his last smile etched upon his face. It killed Rani inside.

They finally reached outside and Rani saw something she didn't imagine – Arimana was on the ground, bawling, while Maya consoled her. Alroc and Aredek were working at the wreckage on the ground, desperately searching for something in it.

"OI!" she called, and all heads swiveled to her. "What happened?"

Maya raced over to her and embraced her in a tight grip. "Oh, sugar, you're okay, you pulled through!"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Honey, we thought you were dead," Maya exclaimed, wiping tears from her eyes.

"Speaking of dead," Castor muttered, a whisper barely audible, "My leaders. Where are they? Please… I can't lose them too…"

"Well, the fiery mistress was here with us, but she just ran. She seemed a wreck," Maya confessed.

"And Ridge? Sir Ridge? What is his fate?"

Maya's silence was enough of an answer to Castor.

"Healing capabilities!" Rani exclaimed, calling everyone's attention to Raya. "This girl is critically injured! Can anybody help?"

Arimana rose from the ground and walked over. "I can help," she said, summoning her staff to her – tall with a sharp, almost spear-like tip. It had a blue hand grip. "Put her on the ground," she commanded to Castor, wiping tears from her eyes. She started muttering incantations and green flashes of light fluttered around them.

Maya turned to Castor. "I'm sorry about your leader, boy, but please go help those two men. Someone is buried underneath."

Castor didn't waste a breath in rushing over and helping Aredek and Alroc clear the wreckage.

"Someone's _under_ there?" Rani called out. "WHO? Who is it?"

Her answer came as Aredek, his cloak flowing behind him, shouted, "ZANA!"

Rani rushed over to see Aredek and Alroc pull the cold girl out, her armor dented in multiple places. She rushed over to Castor and put her head in his shoulder. She couldn't stand it if anyone saw her crying right now.

"Zana," Alroc began, moving his hand in front of her face. She wasn't blinking. "Can you hear me? Can you see me?"

"Yes," she muttered.

"Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

"Armor.. protected me," she explained. Turning to Aredek, she said, "Number I… I am sorry."

Aredek tried to smile through his tears. "No, I should be the one sorry. If I hadn't been such a conceited, paranoid idiot… if I'd been honest since the beginning… none of this would ever have happened. We can't be fighting amongst ourselves. We just can't be."

Maya, Arimana, and Raya walked over; Arimana was supporting Raya, but she seemed to be alright.

Alroc slowly helped Zana to her feet as well; despite the serious dents in her armor and a small would from one of Alroc's arrows, she seemed to be fine.

Castor was rubbing Rani's back; it was somewhat a funny sight, the somewhat tall man in the camouflage jacket consoling the girl much shorter than him. Put it was almost poetic in a sense, for two people who have lost so much to be drawn together by chaos and loss. It was beautiful to see some love during such a horrible time.

They all suddenly turned their eyes to Aredek, and he was hit with a sudden realization. Despite everything that they lost, everything that had happened, he was still their leader. He was the one in charge here. His green eyes opened wide with recognition. Even through everything he had caused, all of the secrets, he was still here. Alroc, who'd always been loyal to him; Arimana, who was furious with him but was still standing here. Maya and Rani, who had gone against his wishes but still cared enough to put aside differences. Zana, who had led this charge and had just fought him, acknowledging that he was their leader. And even Castor, who respected him enough to follow his lead and listen to him, and Raya, this girl who'd been critically injured but still wished to fight.

"I'm done playing these games with the Organization," Aredek said slowly. Everyone was paying much attention, clinging on his every word. "I'm through with these struggles. I'm suck and tired of collateral damage, and them thinking they can tear everything apart."

"Amen!" Maya called out.

"We're fighting back _now_. We're ending things _now_. Forget about all of the things we had to get through to get here. It's time to make our mark."

A collective cheer went up at these words.

"What's our move?" Castor asked. He'd experienced the ultimate sadness – he had just lost his family and Ridge. But he wasn't giving up. "What do we do now?"

"We meet up with the others at the safe house," Aredek explained, "And then we fight! Onwards!" he said, leading them all. Everyone followed after him, but Arimana lingered for a few moments.

"There's still so much I need to say…" she muttered before following after them.

* * *

_When the truth about yourself is harder to accept than anything else..._

Slay, Kalua, Selena, Ozamu, Hugo, and Bellatrix raced through the Dark City streets. Signs of the explosion were still behind them, and they were rushing to avoid the Nobodies that had swarmed the dojo. Who knew if they'd all been finished off?

"Wait!" Kalua called, breathing heavily. "Trouble! Attack!"

Slay drew her blade as all the others stopped and turned to face Kalua. "What happened, Kalua? Nobodies? Where are they? What's the attack?"

"My… respiratory… system…"

Slay face-palmed. "Of course. Now's precisely the time to be making jokes." The others were laughing, however; it was a nice attempt to try and lighten the mood. "Five-minute break everyone. We need to get to the safe house soon. Aredek's plan should be put in motion tonight."

"Plan?" Bellatrix called, followed by a shrill laugh lacking mirth. "Slay, you owe us an explanation!" Ozamu and Hugo nodded, agreeing with her. "We don't know what's going on!"

"I'm your leader! You're supposed to follow me through thick and thin. You don't need to question me, because you know everything I'm saying is for your own good."

Selena let a smile grace her lips. "You sound like Aredek."

Both Slay and Kalua turned towards her, looks of surprise on their faces. "Bony-hand say whaaaaat?" Kalua asked suspiciously.

"That's his explanation," Selena explained. "He isn't keeping secrets from us, not all the time. He just expects us to follow him because he's doing the right thing. And that's what Slay is doing right now. She isn't telling them because they know she's doing all she can for them."

"And the Daytime Emmy goes to Selena!" Hugo called sarcastically.

But Slay found that she was right. She'd been angry with their leader for no reason. He does what he does for them, to protect them, even if his motivations are a little misguided.

"You guys really want to know what's happening?" she asked her three students. They nodded.

Pointing to Kalua and Selena, she added, "No spoilers." They grinned and let her take the floor.

"You know my history. You know the foundings of the Thirteenth Order, the foundings of our own dojo. You don't know our plan, however, and that requires some going back. You see, Number XIII of our group, Ailmus? He was previously a captive of the Organization, specifically its resident mad scientist, Vexen. And while there, many experiments were performed on Ailmus, many pertaining to the matter of the heart. But there was one accidental experiment that was performed, an experiment where a potion of impeccable strength was merged with him. Ailmus had fallen insane under the experiments and lost much control over his brain, but when he himself loses control, when he enters stages of full insanity, he can control the potion even though he isn't in control of himself. He can fully destroy everything and anything in his path. He's unstoppable. Now, the Organization reached out to all of our members except him. They told us to flee, to avoid bloodshed. They left out Ailmus because they want him. They crave his power, they crave to use him to destroy Dark City and rebuild it in their own sick, twisted image. They hope we'll all flee and leave him to them. But we're not about to do that. We can't hold on to Ailmus forever. The Organization will inevitably wear us out and seize control. But not if we strike first. It is thus our plan to storm their castle and defeat them once and for all, to put an end to their plans before they can stop them. They've been alluding to some endgame, and that most certainly requires Ailmus, but I feel as if they've also got a master plan to take him from us. We're not going to let that happen. We're going to pull everyone together and end this once and for all."

Her students looked on at her in awe. Before they could say anything else, clapping came from somewhere. Everyone turned to see Marluxia slowly clapping. "Excellent speech!" he called, at an attempt of witty banter.

Nobody paid him any attention, not even Kalua. They all instead drew their weapons, with Selena giving Marluxia a particularly hateful glare.

"Go!" Slay called. Everyone turned to her in shock.

"Slay, this is our fight too!" Selena cried.

"GO!" she exclaimed. "No one else is getting hurt tonight. Take them to the safe house and I'll handle Mister Pretty in Pink. It's my turn to fight today."

Before Selena could fight her on that, Kalua grinned. "Oh, cool beans! Mar, nice to see you, I love the hair! Slay, good luck, try not to die too much, okay? Cool? Awesome! Now you two play nice now and only kill each other a little bit!"

She ran off, pulling Selena with her; reluctantly, Bellatrix and Hugo followed, but Ozamu stayed behind.

"Ozamu!" Slay exclaimed. "Go with them!"

"Not a chance, mistress," he called, pulling out his keyboard. "You've been training me for an opportunity like this, and I'm not going to waste it."

Marluxia smiled. "This is nice. But now, you will die." Out of nowhere, he charged with his scythe, prepared to behead Slay. But he found his path blocked by a horse with wings.

"That's just Pegasus!" Slay called out. Her heavy sword, massive and two-handed with a sun design on the blade and two lightning bolts on the side, was pointed up to the sky, where she'd summoned the constellation from.

Pegasus headbutted Marluxia, knocking him back several feet. "Is that really all? Thank you for My Little Pony, but he won't help you much."

"I thought you'd appreciate him, Mister Brony!"

Slay charged at him, using both hands to swing the sword at him; he attempted to block with his scythe, but it wasn't strong enough to block the blade, and he went flying.

In a counter, Marluxia waved his hand and a flurry of blossoms went flying at Slay. Pegasus intercepted them and Slay moved in to cover the distance, but an energy wave from the scythe pushed her back.

She ducked as Marluxia's scythe came inches above her head, and fell to the ground as the scythe came back. Wondering how he could've swung it that fast, she realized that he'd created a clone of himself made of petals. She quickly rolled out of the way as one of their scythes nearly impaled her, but had to leave behind her sword in the process. One Marluxia knocked it farther out of her reach.

"This might be an issue!" Ozamu cried; he played a few keys on his keyboard and the sound waves knocked one Marluxia into the air. The other went charging at Ozamu whilst Slay moved in on the one Ozamu had just attacked.

She leapt upon Pegasus and together they soared into the air, and a fast punch knocked the already airborne Marluxia straight into the ground. Before he could get back up, Pegasus flew down and stomped on him, and he erupted into rose petals.

"Crap, that was the replica!" Slay exclaimed, getting off of Pegasus. "That means Ozamu has the real one!"

Speaking of Ozamu, he was bracing himself for Marluxia as the Graceful Assassin swung his scythe. It didn't connect with Ozamu, thankfully, but cut the strap on the keyboard, and the instrument fell to the ground.

The two just stood awkwardly for a few seconds. "Sorry about the keyboard," Marluxia offered. "Just makes killing you a lot less satisfying."

"Thanks for those arrogant apologies." Ozamu swung a metallic knuckled fist at Marluxia's face, which knocked him to the ground.

Marluxia rose to his feet as Ozamu and Slay slowly advanced upon him. In response, he formed a large black ring that formed around all of them.

"Huh?" Ozamu asked as Marluxia began to quickly swing his scythe around the ring, intending to take them all out.

Slay quickly Dodge Rolled out of the way but Ozamu wasn't as lucky – the flat side of the scythe knocked into him, slamming him into a building, where he crumpled to the floor unconscious.

Marluxia turned to grin at Slay. "And then there was one. Much like you, Slay, I seek opportunity to have more control and power in my group then my rank assigns. No need to fret, for we are one in the same."

Wanting to get over to Ozamu, but also intrigued by the Assassin's words, Slay asked, "What do you mean?"

"You seek superiority, as I do. You seek control and crave your power over the other members. You use it to order around the lesser members, and when that wasn't enough you formed your own team so you can be the dominating force. No need to worry. I too relish my superiority over the lower members of my group, particularly that scientist Vexen. Too easy to manipulate. Trust me; we are quite similar in nature. Forming my own team would never suffice for me, I might add; I seek absolute control within my own organization, if you don't mind the pun."

"We are _nothing_ alike!" Slay exclaimed fiercely. "You're a deceitful monster!"

"And you aren't?" Marluxia countered. "Your fighting style employs the manipulation of constellations, much like that horrid horse of yours. You use the heaviest sword you can find to emphasize your strength. We are more alike than you will ever find, Lys."

Using her original name struck her. "Shut up!" she called. This man was too vain and arrogant for them to share any similarities, but yet his speech was sticking to her, and she couldn't shake it off.

"I deserve much more respect than I am given, as you do," Marluxia continued. "We're both utterly devoted and persist in our goals. But unlike you, I truly have no real care or concern for my group or its members. Save for perhaps one, they are all of no real worth to them, and I will persist even if they should all crumble. But we could work together, you see."

"What are you _talking_ about?"

"You just want to end the Organization. I seek to control it. By abandoning both of our groups, both could be accomplished – we could take out Xemnas and I could assume leadership over the Organization. And then I will work together with you in your goals for this city, to liberate it." Slay didn't answer, and Marluxia knew how tempted she was. "We could revolutionize things, Lys. Imagine the power that would befall you."

Slay was utterly torn. _I can't trust him!_ She argued with herself. _He's deceitful, arrogant, egotistical, and above all he is a Nobody member of the Organization. But I do feel he sincerely has no love lost for his members, and is honest in a possible partnership between us. I could change the world._

She extended a hand for Marluxia to shake. Marluxia grinned. "Pleased you have made the right decision."

As he extended his own hand, Slay took it and flipped him on his back. "I'm sorry," she said sincerely. "The offer is incredibly tempting. But I find myself thinking in terms like yours – egotistical and superior. That's not me. We're all equal in my group, and that's why I'd never assume your offer."

Marluxia rose to his feet and shrugged. "Your loss."

Then he disappeared into a Corridor of Darkness, as if telling Slay that as of now they weren't allies, but they certainly weren't on opposing sides either.

She and Pegasus hurried over to the unconscious Ozamu; she helped him onto Pegasus and then got on herself. "To the safehouse, Pegasus!" she ordered. As the majestic beast took flight, she was left to wonder whether she made the right decision after all.

* * *

_Love is the worst pain anyone could possibly feel..._

Alay, Lexa, Aoen, and Ailmus, meanwhile, had finally reached the safehouse, and were currently relaxing inside.

Aoen was bored. "Aoen is so bored!" she exclaimed.

Lexa, who'd been trying to read a book, shook her head. "Listen," Lexa said, looking bored as she always does, "We're all bored. Please contain your musings."

Alay snorted. "Stop acting so stuffy, Lexa! Let's entertain the kids. Come on, put the book away and have some fun!"

Alay and Lexa were best friends; Alay tended to be the only one Lexa ever really held conversation with.

"Ailmus likes FUN!" Ailmus called out. The bulges coming from his cloak showed the two senior members that his arm trapped in the straitjacket was trying to escape once again.

"I've always wondered why he wears a straitjacket," Alay wondered aloud.

"As have I. But I can only imagine that there lies a tale for another day," Lexa replied. It was going to be a long night if the others didn't return soon. "Aoen, Ailmus. We're going to play a game called naptime."

"Aoen likes naptime!" Aoen called, still talking in the third person, much to Alay and Lexa's discontent. "Can Bobo play with Aoen?" Aoen inquired, leaping over to Lexa.

Alay laughed. Although she, too, tended to be quiet like Lexa, she was nicer and more fun to be around; trying to use kindness to push aside the guilt she harbors from her own secrets and tactics. "Sure, Bobo can play too."

"BOBO!" Aoen cried, dancing wildly. While Alay laughed and Lexa let a small grin creep onto her bored face, Aoen was doing a wild dance with Bobo that none of the others could see.

"Bobo is a fun person!" Ailmus said.

Aoen turned to Ailmus. "Ailmus thinks Bobo is real?"

"Ailmus thinks so if you do," Ailmus added happily.

"So, for this naptime game," Lexa added, "You take a nap! Right in the corner over there, with the blankets! And you can't speak! Whoever falls asleep first wins!"

"GAME!" Ailmus and Aoen exclaimed, rushing over. They were both asleep within seconds, leaving the two senior members to themselves.

"That was a touching scene," Lexa muttered.

With a smile on her face, Alay agreed. "The innocence of youth… Sometimes I wonder if they ever realize the seriousness of the situation we're in."

"Let them have their levity," Lexa commented. "But give them more credit than they're worth. They do remarkably well."

It was just one big room that they were in; Alay and Lexa were sitting at a metal table of an average size in the middle of the room. The entire front wall was a door filled with mechanisms on either side that masked it as a door and acted as locks. The entire back wall was a resting area, filled with camping bags, beds, and blankets, and Ailmus and Aoen were currently resting there now. The right side wall featured two couches and a refrigerator with old rations, and the left side wall had several cabinets of old documents and board games.

Just as Alay was contemplating joining the young children, she heard a man's voice say, "The innocence of youth can be a beautiful thing."

She immediately turned, as did Lexa, and saw Xaldin sitting on one of the couches. He was hunched forward, his hands folded, and he just looked… sad.

"Xaldin!" Lexa cried, drawing her Lexicon.

"Shh!" Alay added, pointing to the kids. She meant, _I'm not sure if he's noticed them yet. Don't wake them up._

"There is no need to spar yet," Xaldin said sarcastically, but there was a lack of vulgarity in his voice. The two girls knew him for his unpleasant personality, his sarcasm, his sadism, but he just seemed sad to them.

"What's up with you?" Alay asked suspiciously. "You don't seem as… unpleasant as you're known for."

"I wish to just continue the discussion you were having," Xaldin replied. "Youthful innocence is a subject I have been forced to come forward with and accept."

"It's love," Lexa calmly stated. "Love must be the levity you're referring to."

Xaldin merely looked at her and nodded.

"It's not innocence, for we all know the nature of your experiments," Lexa went on. "That only leaves the levity of love. You must've been broken before you became a Nobody. That would lead to your general unpleasantness."

"Love is a sick thing," Xaldin replied, and some anger was detected in his voice. "All should be forced to abandon their innocence, their levity, before they are faced with the pain. I wouldn't wish that sickness on any fool."

"It would've been your own fault if she left you," Alay added, sickened. To her, it seemed as if he was expecting consolation from them. But she knew the sadness was an act. Nobodies can't feel.

Xaldin seemed indifferent to her comment, but his body language was revealing the return of his general unpleasantness. "And we were having such a pleasant conversation too," he said sarcastically.

"You were a horrible person. The Darkness ruined you. You don't deserve love, so don't go lecturing about levity. Everyone deserves to feel a sense of innocence. But you ruined yours. I feel no compassion for you. If I was her, I would've left you too."

"SHUT UP!" Xaldin screeched, and a strong gust of wind slammed Alay into a wall. Two spears went flying, pinning her cloak to the wall; she couldn't get down. Xaldin smugly laughed at her situation.

"Lexa!" she cried.

"Is there a need to spar now?" Lexa questioned, bored. She opened her Lexicon and muttered an incantation for Dark Magic.

Xaldin braced himself, but nothing happened. "Ha!" he scoffed. "You will fall easily."

He grew one of his six spears from the air and moved in to stab her; she countered by whipping out her big longbow to deflect his attack.

"Another archer?" Xaldin asked sarcastically as he leapt back.

Pulling an arrow from her camo quiver, Lexa launched several arrows at him, uninterested in the battle yet. They all missed him, and he shot back a gust of wind that moved her back several feet and almost caused her to lose her balance.

Alay seemed to notice for the first time the color of Lexa's eyes – a hunter's yellow, which seemed to resemble Darkness. _This'll be an interesting fight_, Alay thought to herself.

Lexa's dark blue hair had been blowing in the wind, but even when it stopped, it was still shifting crazily. She opened up her Lexicon once more, muttered something, and a blast of Dark Fire went flying into Xaldin. It caused a small burn on his cloak that he quickly put out.

"Is that all you can give me?" he asked, sneering. His answer was a giant flurry of thunderbolts descending upon him, and he grimaced. The girl wasn't to be underestimated.

Then, he saw another person appear in the room – someone he hadn't seen for over a decade.

"Hello, Dilan," came the voice of his once-lover.

"No… it can't be…" Xaldin muttered, slowly backing away.

"But it is," she replied. "I've returned for you."

"NO!" Xaldin exclaimed as Lexa and Alay watched on.

Lexa calmly removed the spears pinning Alay's cloak to the wall, and she fell down. She was unfazed by this, completely enticed by watching Xaldin talking to himself.

"What does he think he's doing?" Alay wondered aloud.

Lexa laughed humorlessly. "That first incantation I gave came in a bit late. He's talking to an apparition of his lover. The one from so long ago."

"Nice!" Alay said with a grin. Xaldin was now practically crying, yelling into thin air. It was an interesting sight until Demyx arrived, appearing out of thin air to Alay and Lexa's shock.

"Xaldin!" Demyx whined. "Come on! Get on with the mission!" He pointed to Ailmus sleeping in the corner. "The kid is right there! Let's do this thing!"

Xaldin, still talking to the apparition, didn't respond. Demyx walked over and slapped him, and he seemed to come to his senses.

"YOU!" Xaldin exclaimed, pointing at Lexa. "YOU WILL PAY!" he charged at her with his six spears following him, ready to kill.

"That's a good boy!" Demyx commended. "I'm so proud of your intent to kill!"

The battle didn't get much further before everyone else showed up. Aredek, Arimana, Maya, Rani, Zana, Alroc, Castor, and Raya took this moment to show up. Right behind them were Kalua, Selena, Hugo, and Bellatrix.

"Family reunion!" Kalua exclaimed, as everyone raced in to combat the two Organization members.

Demyx, who hadn't even had time to draw out his sitar, said, "Oh, well, look at the time! I've got to go!" as he raced into a Corridor, some heard him mutter, "Oh, they picked the wrong guy for this one!"

Xaldin, who was choking Lexa, noticed the appearance of numerous adversaries. He quickly relinquished his grip on her throat and raised his hands in surrender. "Sorry, friends," was all he said before he too leapt into the Corridor.

A few seconds later, Slay arrived on Pegasus, carrying Ozamu.

"Ozamu!" Bellatrix exclaimed.

"Slay!" Aredek exclaimed.

"Zana!" Alay exclaimed.

"Lexa!" Maya exclaimed.

"Selena!" Rani exclaimed.

"Aredek!" Lexa exclaimed.

"Castor!" Raya exclaimed.

"Rani!" Castor exclaimed.

"Aredek!" Arimana exclaimed.

"Maya!" Alay exclaimed.

"KALUA!" Kalua exclaimed. Everyone turned to face her.

"What? We could all use a bit of comic relief…"

* * *

**Oh hi! Another update! Sorry for being six months late! And DOUBLE sorry that I didn't do something special for this story's one-year anniversary, which happened on January 7th, 2012! All in all, I'm glad with this chapter and the depth that some of the characters are getting now. I hope you all enjoyed it too!**

**So Raya was introduced this chapter, but she didn't have much to do. How do you guys feel about her, if you feel at all?**

**And the gang's all together! Hurray! Well, almost everyone.**

**Where did Blaze run off to? Why did she run off? Where is Axxela? What secrets is Alay keeping? Whose side is Marluxia on? Is it possible for Xaldin to love? Will anyone else ever see Bobo? What will Castor do now that Ridge is dead? What truly happened with the explosion?**

**All and more to be explained in the future!**

**Gosh darn I've just got SO MANY terrific ideas for the coming future, but I can't spoil them! Teaser:**

_**One of the Order lying down, never to move again, unfairly taken from them…**_

_**Someone sent far away, out of this world, by the actions of another…**_

_**The truth of someone's existence coming to light, be them a Replica or not…**_

_**A seeming betrayal of one of the Order, and what it means for the future…**_

_**Xemnas standing proud with his plans finally realized, opposed by the Order, someone dead, and someone with a Keyblade…**_

**Dudes this story will be so freaking awesome, I swear.**


	23. Chapter IX

Everyone was now focusing on Aredek. The metal table was full of drawings and diagrams on it, and everything was cleared out of the way so everyone could fit on the floor. With a look at Slay, Aredek extended his hand so Slay could join him. She did.

"Friends! Allies!" he began. After a short pause he added, "Family."

Castor, sitting between Rani and Raya, nodded. Maya smiled at her leader while Zana was absorbing every word he spoke.

"We've sat back, callously planning, sparking a revolution for so long," he continued in barely a whisper. "And all it's gotten us is collateral damage and predictability."

"But you said that you've got a new plan for us now," Slay pointed out. Everyone was interested in where this conversation was going. Aoen, still drowsy from her nap, lay down on Arimana's lap and the older girl smiled.

Aredek grinned gleefully. "My new plan requires no planning. My new plan is something that they'll never predict. No one will see it coming."

"Good lord, man, tell us what it is!" Alroc shouted with excitement as the buzz of conversation began.

"Quiet!" Slay shouted.

With a thankful nod from Aredek, he went on. "We're going to ambush the Organization."

And then everyone stopped moving and talking.

"I take this moment to officially nominate that Aredek be removed from his position as leader!" Kalua shouted, but a glare from Slay silenced her.

"That idea is completely ludicrous," Zana muttered to herself.

"Listen to me!" Aredek commanded. He'd expected something more positive than this lukewarm reception. "We're done hiding and waiting and plotting. Launching an offensive now is something they'd never predict. We're able to handle them in fights! The Order can split up into groups and take down the Organization together. The others can handle the Nobody forces. We can do this!"

Lexa was unsure. "I'm not too sure we're ready to handle this…"

Alroc shook his head and rose to his feet. "If Aredek has such confidence in us and if he thinks this is what we should do, I'll stand beside him. To the end."

Castor nodded too and rose, surprising Rani. "I've lost everything and everyone I've known through this. I have nothing left to lose, and staying hidden is going to cause me to lose even more. This feels right. It's time."

The approval of the two seemed to strike a continuing spark. The next to rise was Slay's apprentice, Bellatrix. "My master," she started, with a meaningful look at Slay, "has trained us well. One thing she taught us was that strength of heart can win fights against physical strength. And our hearts are certainly strong. We can do this!"

Everyone shortly rose to their feet; Aoen initially complained because she wanted to continue napping, but even she gave in. Ailmus had a demonic grin on his face. _Ailmus will have revenge_, he thought.

Rani was itching for battle now. "Vengeance!" she shouted loudly, a cry taken up by some others.

* * *

While everyone was planning and gathering supplies, Slay drew the thirteen Order members together.

"Hugo here has some mystical spoons," she said. "To divide us into the groups for the castle."

"Oh wow," Kalua muttered. "Mystical _spoons_."

Selena smiled at the sarcasm. "How do these work, Hugo?"

"Well," the weapons expert explained, "We have thirteen spoons here. Once everyone has one in their hand, I'll say the incantation and they'll be drawn together."

"So mystical spoons of destiny?" Alay asked.

"Precisely! Now, everyone, take one!" Once the Thirteenth Order had their spoons, he spoke the incantation, "Prejedubble!"

Aredek found his spoon drawn to Alroc's. "All right! Wouldn't have it any other way," he exclaimed with a grin. Alroc was his noble lieutenant. The two trusted each other with their lives.

Slay was close to hitting herself very hard on the head with a rock because her spoon was being pulled toward Aoen. "YAY!" Aoen exclaimed gleefully. "Fun! Me and Slay! And Bobo! Three Musketeers! Because we're sweet like the candy bar!"

With a look of despair towards Aredek, she mouthed, _Kill me_.

Alay's spoon was drawn towards Lexa's. The two girls smiled at each other – friendship born through missions and being senior members had led them to grow very close and they were happy to have each other.

Zana calmly walked over to Rani; their spoons were vibrating erratically. "Number X. It would appear as if we're to be partners."

Rani grunted in acknowledgement. "Aiye, that's how it be then. Don't slow me down!" A fiery girl and an Ice Princess, how could things possibly go wrong?

Selena's spoon was drawn to Ailmus'. "Hey, Ailmus," Selena said with a grin. Grinning on the outside, she was anything but on the inside – fear that she wouldn't be able to protect him, anxious that they wouldn't be enough.

Ailmus tilted his head to the side. "Ailmus says hello. Ailmus wants revenge. Ailmus wants to kill." Now Selena was scared for herself as well.

That left Maya, Kalua, and Arimana. "Well, shugs," Maya began, "Dream team right here, right?"

Kalua mocked her enthusiasm. "Oh yeah! We're all gonna get killed on this suicide mission! Fun!"

"Something tells me you don't think this is a good idea," Arimana sarcastically replied.

"At least if we hide we can live for a little longer. We're going to die in the end no matter what."

As much as she didn't want to accept it, Arimana secretly felt that what she was saying could be true.

* * *

Hugo joined the group of Castor, Raya, Bellatrix, and Ozamu, AKA the group designated to holding back the enemy forces.

"We're going to need a field leader," Castor pointed out, and the others nodded in agreement. "Somebody to direct us in combat. Do any of you have any experience in tactical warfare?"

"Um… _you _do," Raya pointed out.

Ozamu smiled. "From what we hear, you're quite good at it as well."

Castor laughed. "I guess I'll do it. I just wish that Sir Ridge and Lazy Blaze were here to help us…"

"Maybe I can be of assistance," came a new voice. Everyone in the room turned around to see Axxela. "Axxela, at your service."

As Aredek and Slay huddled over, Castor gave her a salute. "I've heard about you from Sir Ridge. Pleased to have your services."

"Allow us to borrow her for a moment," Aredek said with a grin. Once the trio was by themselves, Aredek embraced her. "You made it!"

"It was tough getting away from Axel, but hey, I'm invincible! Haha."

Slay looked her up and down. They weren't exactly friends. "Nobody."

"Somebody," Axxela fired back.

"Now's really not the time," Aredek interrupted, "To be fighting. We're all here because we want this to end, so maybe we can put aside the differences."

The two girls hesitantly clasped hands, and Slay walked off leaving the two alone.

"I could draw up some diagrams of the Castle for you," Axxela offered. "I've spent a lot of time there."

"Awesome. You're alone? No backup? No reinforcements?"

"Not right now, no. But I did reach out to someone who might be able to bring in some firepower."

* * *

The final preparations had been finalized. Each of the Thirteenth Order carried schematics of the Castle with them, and on Hugo's suggestion, held their spoons as well. The thirteen pulled into a huddle, and to the others it was quite a sight to see all the silver cloaks mesh together.

"Hard to imagine that earlier today the biggest shock was the truth about Ailmus," Lexa started hesitantly. Like Kalua, she wasn't sure this attack was the best idea. But with all the events that had transpired she decided that she trusted her friends to get everyone through this. It's not like anyone was really going to die. They'd come so far.

Maya grinned. "We've come far, sugar."

"I know things have been tough," Aredek began, "And I don't really deserve the level of trust you're putting in me."

"You're our leader," Zana interrupted. "Despite our hardships, you're our leader. We will follow you to the ends of the earth Aredek."

The fact that Zana had used Aredek's name instead of his rank seemed to put an aura of finality to the huddle. "THIRTEENTH ORDER!" most of them shouted together.

Castor caught the drift. "Move out, squad!" he called.

"LET'S GO BITCHES!" Kalua exclaimed, and with a slap on the back of the head from Slay, everyone headed out. Leaving the safe house, and safety itself, behind them, they were all prepared to face whatever would happen next.

* * *

Blaze stood alone on top of a building far from where the safe house was. Losing Ridge and everyone else, seeing her sister for the first time since the invasion… it had created such a rush of emotions that she was unable to handle. She had contemplated escaping the city and starting a new life somewhere else.

"_Where could you possibly go?"_ _the mysterious girl had asked._

"_Somewhere where I could forget."_

"_You'd never be able to forget. The memories would haunt you forever. Nowhere is safe for you."_

"_You know nothing of my situation."_

"_I know that you would never leave. Is that would Ridge would do? Would he just escape when things got bad?"_

"_Who… who are you?"_

"_The Order is planning to assault the Castle. You should go there. Help make everything right."_

"_I… I don't know."_

Blaze sighed. Eventually, after some soul searching, she'd arrived at a place she wasn't really sure she was familiar with, but it felt right. Suddenly she heard footsteps.

Igniting her hands, she turned around quickly. "Who are you?"

And there was someone carrying a Keyblade, and suddenly Blaze had memories she knew weren't hers. This person was the same Keyblade Master who had aided Aredek and Ridge, she knew it without anything to go on.

When he said nothing, she asked him again. "Who _are _you?"

The man took off the helmet of the armor he was wearing, an armor Blaze had never seen before. The whites of his eyes were quite large in comparison to his small pupils, and he had dark gray hair with the stubble of a beard. His armor was a radiant mix between blue and a lighter shade.

In a deep, slow voice, he replied, "My name is Master Yen Sid."

* * *

The assault party arrived soon at the Castle That Never Was. As if waiting for them to appear, the first signs of Nobodies started then.

Castor's ground team drew their weapons. "Go! Now!" Castor shouted to Aredek.

"CHARGE!" Aredek exclaimed loudly as the Order rushed up Nothing's Call into the stronghold of the enemy.

Rani held back temporarily, watching as Castor made quick work of two Dusks. He noticed her and quickly ran to her. "Go, Rani, and stay safe," he whispered softly. He kissed her quickly and rushed back in, charging a Berserker without a second thought.

Rani smiled and hurried after her teammates.

They came to a halt upon reaching the Crooked Ascension. There, waiting for them, were thirteen hooded figures.

"Clever little sneaks! We hadn't planned on this one!"

"True, this battering causes us en route for alterations in our deliberately laid orders."

"Man, I hate these jobs…"

"The winds of change are blowing, I sense."

"It's too early for thunder to strike!"

"No, we're just late."

Aredek clenched his fists and pointed to each one of them individually. "Your reign? Yeah, it ends here. Today."

All thirteen laughed emptily. The one in the middle unmasked. Xemnas. "Poor, insufferable fools. You have no hope left." He disappeared into a corridor of darkness, as did all of his cohorts. Furious, Aredek randomly charged into one of them and was quickly followed by Alroc, who notched his bow on the way. Lexa and Alay launched themselves into a separate corridor before they all closed off.

"Going down?" Selena suggested, and she and Ailmus, the only ones in the elevator, descended away from the others.

A corridor of darkness opened near the remaining seven and a strong gust of wind came blowing out. "CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!" Aoen exclaimed vivaciously as she leapt in.

"Crap…" Slay muttered as she hurried after the little girl, the Corridor closing behind them.

The elevator rose back up without Selena or Ailmus. "We'll take this one," Maya said with a grin. She, Kalua, and Arimana filed into the elevator and quickly disappeared from sight. Zana and Rani couldn't tell if they'd gone up or down.

Stepping on a particular spot, Zana uncovered a trap door leading downwards. "Looks like this one is for us," she said calmly and jumped down.

"Show off," Rani muttered, jumping in after her.

* * *

It was a real battle ground. All the stops had been pulled out. Hugo and Ozamu engaged themselves against several Samurai and Dragoons, while Bellatrix went into combat against some Dancers. Raya handled the small fry – Dusks and Creepers – while Axxela rolled around, doing what she could.

Castor, meanwhile, tasked himself with taking out the three dangerous Sorcerers floating around. _They're leading the others_, he thought. Pointing his gunblade at a distracted one, a fire ball shot out, destroying it.

"Awesome!" he called out. Unfortunately, this meant that the other two Sorcerers were now focused on him.

They pulsated towards him, and he attempted to slice them, but their cubes hindered his progress. Things wouldn't be so easy.

* * *

Aredek and Alroc came out, unsure of where they were and seemingly alone. Checking his map, Alroc called out, "Hall of Empty Melodies."

Aredek wandered towards the center of the hall with Alroc behind him. "Wonder where everyone is…"

A volley of shots then came down, narrowly missing the two. Looking up, two hooded figures stood atop a platform.

Unmasking, they were Axel and Xigbar.

"Have you been good boys?"

* * *

_**Sorry for taking so long to update. And sorry for the shortness of this chapter. More awesomeness to follow, SHORTLY. Not shortly as in chapter size but shortly as in a short wait for the next one. Teehee. **_


End file.
